After selecting a pair of players in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Lakers began nabbing talent as undrafted free agents, including Armel Traore and Blake Hinson on two-way deals.
After making two draft picks in the 2024 NBA Draft — selecting Dalton Knect at No. 17 and taking Bronny James at No. 55 — the Lakers got to work in agreeing to deals with undrafted free agents.
Rather quickly, the team signed a pair of two-way deals. First, they agreed to a deal with French big man Armel Traore.
The Lakers are signing French forward Armel Traore on a two-way NBA contract, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2024
Traore played for Blois in France and averaged 10.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He has the potential to be a productive forward and has demonstrated flashes of being a good rebounder, finisher near the rim and a respectable passer.
He struggles to stretch the floor, shooting just 30% from deep and has more upside then actual ready-now talent. But as a two-way player, this is exactly where you want to take that risk and grab a flyer on a guy.
The Lakers also signed Pitsburgh’s Blake Hinson to a two-way deal.
Undrafted Pittsburgh sharpshooter Blake Hinson has agreed to two-way NBA deal with the Lakers, sources said.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2024
The Panther was a fantastic shooter, improving every year in college and ending his career by hitting 42.1% of his shots from 3-point range.
He also averaged 18.5 points per game, so even though his size might suggest a tweener, he is an older player with a knack for making baskets in bunches.
Blake Hinson (@Pitt_MBB) is hitting 43% from 3. He's taking a high volume too, 8.5 3s per game.
Complete, entire, and exhaustive list of ACC players to take that many, and make that high a percentage, since 1993:
• Blake Hinson
• JJ Redick pic.twitter.com/E5seHAX2Wl— Mike Monaco (@MikeMonaco_) February 19, 2024
Here is what Sam Vecenie of The Athletic says about Hinson’s game.
Additionally, Hinson is one of the least pass-conscious wings I’ve evaluated in a long time. It would be aggressive to call him selfish, but he definitely puts up some wild shots and rarely makes dangerous passes to his teammates that aren’t the obvious decision. He posted a paltry 4.9 assist rate that ranks among the worst marks for an upperclassman wing prospect in the last decade.
The Lakers have a third open two-way spot, but it seems plausible that Colin Castleton, who impressed during Summer League last year and in the G League before suffering a wrist injury that set him back, could also return.
The Lakers’ dream scenario is that one of these undrafted players could follow Austin Reaves’ path and go from not getting selected to a starter who impacts winning.
That’s a lofty goal, but for now, these players will likely see their first action in Lakers uniforms in July during the California Classic and then again at the Las Vegas Summer League.
