The Los Angeles Lakers sprang up out of nowhere with another offseason addition, signing forward Ziaire Williams to a one-year, $3 million deal, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. In addition to helping the team’s wing depth, youth movement and status above the rim, the 24-year-old Lancaster, Calif., native has a golden opportunity to come home.
Lakers Boost Second Unit With Athletic Hometown Hero
In 56 games for the Brooklyn Nets this past season, Williams averaged a career-best 10.2 points per game along with 2.4 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.4 steals. He shot 42.5% from the field, 34.3% from three and 85% from the free-throw line. Drafted tenth overall out of Stanford in 2021, he’s a defensive-minded wing whose offense has come around slowly but surely. Now, he’ll have a chance to further develop out west, joining a second unit now completely remade in the wake of key departures.
The Lakers have agreed to a deal with Ziaire Williams, team and league sources say. New Orleans had made a push in recent days to sign the 24-year-old, but the chance to play for his hometown Lakers in a winning situation has him headed to LA.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) July 13, 2026
Williams joins a Lakers bench composed of solid offseason additions, from the efficient scoring bursts of Collin Sexton and Jaden Hardy to the championship pedigree and screen-setting savviness of Kevon Looney. The team will also be expecting major leaps (pun intended) from second-year Adou Thiero and rookie Cameron Carr, who have shown flashes of promise and composure in each of their first Summer League stints (Thiero missed last year’s games due to a knee injury).
The 6’9” wing’s two-way potential also makes him an effective replacement for the 6’8” Jarred Vanderbilt, whose own defense-first mentality has been countered by inefficient and inconsistent offense. The 27-year-old averaged 4.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 0.8 steals this season. Despite growing speculation, the Lakers are not actively shopping him, leaving his true future in limbo.
Lakers’ Roster Complete, But…
Williams fills the Lakers’ 15th and final guaranteed roster spot, though the door is not exactly closed on adding Jonathan Kuminga, either. The Lakers’ pursuit of the 23-year-old wing is far from finished, but their above-the-cap status means that a sign-and-trade will be the only way to go.
So while it seems like president Rob Pelinka has wrapped up his offseason business, time will tell he has one more ace up his sleeve in Las Vegas.
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