Los Angeles Lakers small forward Metta World Peace. (Photo : Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers recently signed Metta World Peace to a training camp deal, though he may have lesser shot at making into the roster than last season, according to Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak.
The grizzled veteran averaged 5.0 points and 2.5 points in 16 minutes per game for the Lakers last season. Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reported the deal will be a one-year, veteran minimum pact, though he needs to make the cut in order for the contract to be guaranteed.
The Lakers want Metta World Peace to be locker room he was last season, guiding several young players on the roster. The former Defensive Player of the Year isn't anymore the dynamic stopper he once was, but he believes he can still contribute if given a chance.
"I'm waiting for teams. I can still play. I can play, it's not even a question, man," World Peace said in an interview prior to his Lakers signing via Hoops Rumors. "But, you know, sometimes you don't get in the game, man."
"What are you going to do? I'm not going to be upset, I'm going to support. So if I don't play, like this year on the Lakers I could have averaged 15 or 20 on the Lakers if I played, easily. But you know, I'll be supportive [if I don't play]."
-The Lakers' decision to sign former Kansas Jayhawks star Thomas Robinson to a non-guaranteed training camp deal is heavily based on his performance in the final seven games with the Brooklyn Nets, as he averaged 13.4 PPG and 11.4 RPG over that span.
Robinson was one of the most highly-touted prospects in 2012, having been selected no.5 overall by the Sacramento Kings in that year's draft. Unfortunately, his NBA career had not panned out well as everybody expected.
Robinson got traded after 51 games into his rookie year to the Houston Rockets and spent the next three seasons playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, Philadelphia 76ers and the Nets.
