Since going undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, former Virginia Cavaliers center Jay Huff has been finding a way into the NBA. Before the start of the 2021-22 NBA season, Huff earned an opportunity to showcase his talent in the NBA after he received a two-way contract from the Los Angeles Lakers. Unfortunately, Huff failed to receive the playing time that he needed to show what he's got on the court.
Three months after signing him, the Lakers decided to waive Huff.
The Lakers' decision to waive Huff was to open up a spot for a two-way contract to sign another player. After letting Huff go, the Lakers announced on their official Twitter account that they would be signing former Sekou Doumbouya to a two-way contract. Doumbouya entered the league in 2019 when he was selected as the No. 15 overall pick.
He started the first two years of his NBA career with the Detroit Pistons. Even since they dumped him in September last year, the French big man has been finding a team that he can call his home.
Doumbouya has been on the Lakers' radar since the 2021 NBA offseason. As a matter of fact, before the start of the 2021-22 NBA season, Doumbouya and the Lakers reached an agreement regarding a two-way deal. Unfortunately, the former lottery pick failed to start the season with the Purple and Gold after he suffered a foot injury.
With the Lakers' need for healthy players, they ended up waiving Doumbouya and gave his spot to Chaundee Brown. Brown played two games for the Lakers before he was also waived in December.
As a player on a two-way contract, Doumbouya would most likely come off the bench if ever he's called by the Lakers. However, in his article, Jacob Rude of SB Nation's Silver Screen and Roll explained why bringing Doumbouya back makes a lot of sense for the Lakers.
"In the multiple months since then, the Lakers roster has continued to undergo changes both in construction and in philosophy," Rude wrote. "The team’s commitment to a small ball philosophy paired with Doumbouya returning to full health led to the Lakers bringing him back in while parting ways with Huff."
Aside from adding a player who fits Coach Frank Vogel's small-ball strategy, the recent signing of Doumbouya is also expected to bring some improvement to the Lakers' defensive efficiency that currently ranks No. 16 in the league, allowing 106.7 points per 100 possessions, per ESPN. Doumbouya may still have major flaws in his offense, but he's a player who can guard multiple positions.
When their starters need to rest, the Lakers could task Doumbouya to guard the opposing team's best player. Though he failed to live up to expectations from a lottery pick, playing with LeBron James in Los Angeles could help Doumbouya unleash his untapped potential.
