/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55493065/usa_today_9939198.0.jpg)
The Los Angeles Lakers will pick-up David Nwaba’s $1.3 million contract option for the 2017-18 season, the team announced Wednesday. The Lakers had until Thursday to decide whether or not to keep Nwaba for next season or let him enter free agency.
Nwaba averaged six points and 3.2 rebounds while playing standout defense in 20 games for the Lakers after being called up, and his meteoric rise from D-League tryout player to playing for his hometown Lakers was one of the more fun stories around the team last season.
Nwaba’s journey will continue in Las Vegas, where he’s previously said he planned to play for the Lakers’ summer league team alongside Brandon Ingram, Ivica Zubac, Lonzo Ball and the rest of the Lakers’ 2018 draft class.
Las Vegas Summer League begins July 7, when the Lakers will take on the LA Clippers.
All stats per NBA.com. Harrison Faigen is co-host of the Locked on Lakers podcast (subscribe here), and you can follow him on Twitter at @hmfaigen.