1 year, $3 million! 24-year-old Ziaire signs minimum deal with Lakers, standing at 6'9" with a vertical leap over 40 inches

On July 14, Beijing time, per famous reporter Shams, free agent forward Ziaire Williams has agreed to a one-year, $3 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, which is a minimum-salary deal. The Nets opted not to pick up his team option on June 29. The Lakers are looking to make their forward lineup younger and more athletic, and Williams—who averaged over 10 points per game in consecutive seasons with the Nets while shooting above 34% from three—fits what the team needs.

Now 24 years old, Ziaire Williams plays small forward. He was the 10th overall pick in the 2021 draft, spent his first three seasons with the Grizzlies, and was traded to the Nets in 2024. In high school, he was a five-star recruit with outstanding physical attributes, combining forward height with guard-like quickness, and he attended Stanford University. The Lakers' current forward group is aging and lacks athleticism; Williams is young and inexpensive, making him a viable backup 3-and-D wing to strengthen the roster, aligning with the team's push for a younger lineup. The Nets, facing a crowded roster, chose not to exercise Williams' $6.25 million team option for the upcoming season.

The Lakers value Williams for his key traits: standing 6'9" with a standing vertical leap close to 40 inches, he has the potential to become a defensive stopper, while still possessing significant room for offensive growth. Many within the team's staff are optimistic about him. Additionally, Williams and Bronny James were teammates at Sierra Canyon High School.

The Lakers' roster has undergone a major overhaul and urgently needs young, mobile wings to fill rotation spots. With his athleticism, perimeter shooting, and defensive value, Williams can bolster the team's forward depth, easing the offensive and defensive burden on Doncic and Reaves, and serving as a rotational piece on the purple and gold's wing.