How the Lakers are already using a cap mechanism to build out their G League roster

With training camp starting next week, the Lakers’ front office has been quietly busy in recent days. They signed Anton Watson, Chase Ross and Meechie Johnson Jr. to Exhibit 10 deals, although they waived Watson one day later. Ross and Johnson might not be far behind.

What’s the point of signing someone only to waive him the next day? Why are the Lakers signing these guys when they already have 16 players on standard contracts? In essence, they’re using the expanded roster limits for training camp—teams can have up to 21 players until the regular-season cutdown—to build out their G League roster.

Advertisement

Exhibit 10 contracts effectively allow the Lakers to funnel a bit of extra money to players as long as they stay on the newly branded Coachella Valley Lakers for at least 60 days. They’re eligible to receive anywhere between $5,000 and roughly $90,000 from the Lakers if they do so, and that money won’t count toward the Lakers’ team salary, so it won’t impact their luxury-tax bill or their proximity to the first apron. In essence, there’s no downside for the Lakers unless you’re an heir of Mark Walter, Bob Iger or Josh Kushner.

The Lakers do have to waive Ross and Johnson prior to the start of the regular season for them to be eligible for that bonus. But since the Lakers already have 16 players on standard contracts, both players would be facing an uphill battle to make the regular-season roster as is. The Lakers might want to keep them around for training camp to see if they merit either a standard roster spot or one of their three two-way slots, because players on Exhibit 10 deals can’t be converted to two-way contracts once the regular season begins.

The Boston Celtics originally selected Watson with the No. 54 overall pick in the 2024 draft. They signed him to a two-way deal that offseason, but he never appeared in a regular-season game for them before they waived him in March 2025. The Knicks claimed him on waivers two days later, and he played a grand total of 22 minutes across nine games for them at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Lakers signed Watson to an Exhibit 10 deal last year as well…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/lakers-already-using-cap-mechanism-212124569.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-09-25 21:21:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.