Lakers Announce They’ve Signed A New Point Guard

When the Los Angeles Lakers waived rookie Mac McClung on Wednesday, the organization freed up a roster spot to bring another player on board. In a related move, the franchise did exactly that.

The Lakers announced Wednesday night that they signed Frank Mason III to an Exhibit-10 training camp contract. The deal will allow the veteran point guard to join the team for its final preseason game on Thursday against the Sacramento Kings, but most importantly gives him an opportunity to stay with the club in some capacity for the rest of the season.

Mason III, 27, will be hard-pressed to make the Lakers top roster without much time to prove himself. However, the Exhibit-10 deal allows him to remain with the organization’s G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers.

That gives Mason a chance to stay with one of the best teams in the NBA and go to work alongside other talented youngsters like McClung, Joel Ayayi and Sekou Doumbouya.

Mason III last played in the NBA during the 2020-21 campaign when he logged four games with the Orlando Magic. He spent this year’s Summer League with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he made three appearances.

A former 2017 second-round pick, Mason III has seen playing time with three NBA teams. He began his professional career by playing in 90 games with the Sacramento Kings before briefly joining the Milwaukee Bucks.

Mason III made a name for himself professionally during the 2019-20 G-League season when he averaged 25.3 points and 4.8 assists on 50.2 percent field goal shooting and 42.8 percent 3-point shooting in 24 games. He was named the G League MVP as a member of the Bucks affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd.

Despite having a few notable moments, Mason’s NBA career hasn’t quite panned out after a dazzling four years with the Kansas Jayhawks. He was named the consensus National Player of the Year as a senior in 2017, but his three-point shooting ability hasn’t completely translated to the professional level.

Mason will do his best to prove himself this year with the Lakers and perhaps take aim at a mid-career resurgence.

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