The Lakers just added Kylor Kelley to their roster, the team announced Monday. While they didn’t share the details, Marc Stein reports it’s likely a training camp deal.
Kelley isn’t completely new to the NBA scene.
Last season, he played in 11 games split between the Pelicans and Mavericks, averaging 3.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in about 11.5 minutes per game. He shot an impressive 63.6% from the field during that stretch.
The Mavs picked him up after Dereck Lively II got hurt.
His best moment came in his first NBA start with Dallas on February 2 against Cleveland. Kelley put up a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds while shooting a red-hot 5-of-6 from the floor.
Even though the Mavs got crushed 144-101 in that game, coach Jason Kidd had nothing but praise for the 7-footer.
“Kelley was good, everybody was good. I thought his activity, his talk, he was vocal for someone just to get here. His voice could be heard on the floor, and that’s a great sign for a newcomer,” Kidd said.
This isn’t Kelley’s first rodeo with the Lakers, either.
He actually signed an Exhibit 10 contract with them last August before training camp, but didn’t stick around for the regular season. After getting waived, he joined their G League team in South Bay.
Kelley thrived in the G League. The Oregon State product played 32 games (starting 27) for South Bay, where he averaged 11.5 points while shooting a career-best 68.2%. He also added 7.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.4 blocks in nearly 27 minutes per game.
His journey last season was pretty hectic. After his G League stint, he signed a two-way contract with Dallas in January before getting waived in March. He then bounced to New Orleans on a couple of 10-day hardship contracts in April.
Kelley’s basketball journey has taken him all over the map. Beyond the NBA and G League, he’s played professionally in Canada, Denmark, and England between 2021 and 2023.
With Kelley’s addition, the Lakers now have a full 21-player roster heading into training camp.
