Xavier Henry, Los Angeles Lakers close to one-year deal
The Los Angeles Lakers certainly didn’t expect to be picking in the lottery in 2014 when they acquired Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard and Phoenix Suns’ point guard Steve Nash prior to the 2012-2013 season.
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Howard, of course left the Lakers in favor of the Houston Rockets after just one season in Los Angeles and Nash’s career has been derailed (and probably soon ended) by a rash of injuries. With guard Kobe Bryant coming off of an injury, the Lakers knew the 2013-2014 season would be a long one, which is why they signed several players to one-year deals.
Four of their wings had the best seasons of their career – Nick Young, Jodie Meeks, Kent Bazemore and Xavier Henry.
Meeks signed a three-year, $19 million deal with the Detroit Pistons while the Atlanta Hawks inked Bazemore to a two-year, $4 million contract. The Lakers rewarded Young, the most productive of the group, with a four-year, $21.5 million deal. Now, the Lakers are close to striking a deal with Henry.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Lakers and Henry are nearing an agreement on a one-year deal worth $1 million.
The Chicago Bulls were also mentioned in connection with Henry but that appears to have been nothing more than speculation.
Henry was the 12th-overall pick in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies but has never lived up to the billing. Henry played in 43 games for the Lakers last season before he had surgery to repair torn ligament in his left wrist. He averaged 10.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 41.7% from the field, 34.6% from beyond the arc and 65.5% from the free throw line.