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Los Angeles Lakers Role Player Is Still A Free Agent

Originally posted on Fastbreak on FanNation
By Ben Stinar | Last updated 7/28/23

Wenyen Gabriel is coming off a year where he played in 68 regular season games (and ten NBA playoff games) for the Los Angeles Lakers.

The former Kentucky star averaged 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per contest while shooting 59.6% from the field.

He played a key role off the bench for the Lakers and averaged 15.1 minutes of playing time.

Over four weeks into NBA free agency, Gabriel still remains available to be signed by any team in the league.

Gabriel initially went undrafted in 2018 and has also played for the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets.

The 26-year-old has career averages of 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per contest while shooting 53.1% from the field and 31.9% from the three-point range in 145 regular season games (he has also appeared in 14 NBA playoff games).

Considering he was a reliable backup for the Lakers, Gabriel could be an excellent addition to a team that is contending for the 2024 NBA Championship.

In addition, bringing back Gabriel would be a smart move for the Lakers.

As for the Lakers, they were the seventh seed in the Western Conference and had a 43-39 record.

They beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in the play-in tournament to make the NBA playoffs, and defeated the Memphis Grizzlies (second seed) and Golden State Warriors (2022 NBA Champions) in the first two rounds.

However, they were swept by Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

This article first appeared on Fastbreak on FanNation and was syndicated with permission.

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