:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71035947/image__1_.0.png)
The Los Angeles Lakers have started free agency by getting younger and more agile than they were in the 2021-22 season. They first made moves in that direction by reportedly agreeing to deals with Damian Jones, Lonnie Walker IV, and Troy Brown, Jr.
They’ve now continued that trend by reportedly agreeing to a deal with Juan Toscano-Anderson, first reported by Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes.
Free agent forward Juan Tuscano-Anderson — member of Golden State Warriors championship team — has reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Lakers, his agent Erika Ruiz of @KlutchSports tells @YahooSports. https://t.co/0eNzwHyMng
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 30, 2022
Toscano-Anderson comes to the Lakers from the Golden State Warriors, where he recently became the second Golden State Warrior of Mexican descent to win an NBA championship.
After going undrafted following his graduation from Marquette in 2015, Toscano-Anderson spent four years playing professionally in Mexico before joining the Golden State Warriors’ G League (nee’ D-League) affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors. JTA eventually earned minutes with the big league Warriors, spending parts of the past three seasons with the parent club.
Over those three seasons, he averaged 4.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.7 steals per game. He shot 32.2% on 3-pointers in the 2021-22 season after shooting 40.2% the season before.
Juan Toscano-Anderson is at peace with leaving the Warriors.
— Marcus Thompson II (@ThompsonScribe) June 30, 2022
“I’m stamped in the Town. I’m stamped in my country. That shit can’t nobody take from me.”
It’s time for the next chapter of his storybook journey.https://t.co/m94B7ILm2u pic.twitter.com/5OxoGWXG6P
He had an increased role in the 2020-21 season, starting 16 of his 53 games. However, that season was largely unsuccessful for the Warriors as they missed the playoffs after falling to the Lakers and then the Grizzlies in the Western Conference play-in tournament. In 2021-22, JTA’s role was reduced with the emergence of Jordan Poole and the signing of Otto Porter, Jr.
Listed at 6’6’’, Toscano-Anderson should be able to provide the Lakers with some much-needed depth at the wing. However, his exact role in the purple and gold remains unclear with so many new players at his position set to join the Lakers this coming season. With Stanley Johnson, Austin Reaves, and now Lonnie Walker IV and Troy Brown, Jr. all probably jockeying for the very same wing minutes, it’s impossible to know now how Darvin Ham will handle JTA’s playing time.
Nonetheless, as a highly-coveted theoretical 3-and-D wing on a veteran’s minimum, it’s wholly possible Juan Toscano-Anderson outplays his contract to secure a much bigger bag next offseason.
For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow Donny on Twitter at @donny_mchenry.
Loading comments...