Ex-Lakers Big Man Ready to Cut NBA Ties With New Contract

It was the Lakers who, eight years ago, gave center Thomas Bryant his first crack at the NBA, putting him into the lineup after acquiring him in a draft trade with the Jazz. Bryant's Lakers career did not last that long--he was gone after one season--but he came back to L.A. in the summer of 2022 after a successful stint with the Wizards.

That go-round with the Lakers did not go much better than the first, as Bryant averaged 12.3 points but was traded away in a massive deal at the 2023 deadline that saw the Lakers add Mo Bamba and Davon Reed.

The Lakers had two cracks at Bryant but were not able to get his best from him. Bryant has since moved on to Denver, Miami and most recently, Indiana, where he has not been a big-time scorer, but has filled a role nicely in each of his stops.

But, unable to drum up a new NBA contract, it looks like Bryant's next role will come overseas. That's according to a report from Telesport, which noted that the Greek team Panathinaikos is in direct contact about getting Bryant signed.

From Sportando, which points out that Jonas Valanciunas agreed to, then backed out of a contract with the team: "The American center, born in 1997, played last season with the Indiana Pacers. He has appeared in 333 NBA games throughout his career. It would be a high-level addition for Panathinaikos, who, after the breakdown of negotiations with Valanciunas, are looking for a center to further raise the quality of their frontcourt."