LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers have added a trio of former first-round picks in the first hour of free agency.
The team agreed to deals with Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr. and Damian Jones on Thursday afternoon.
The Lakers also added free-agent forward Juan Toscano-Anderson, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Walker will sign a one-year deal worth approximately $6.5 million, a source informed of the deal unauthorized to speak about it publicly told the Los Angeles Times. It’s the biggest free-agency deal the team could offer this season — the taxpayer mid-level exception. Keeping the contract to one year, the Lakers continue to try to keep their books clean for the 2023 offseason.
The No. 18 pick in 2018, Walker is a 6-foot-4 guard who started 56 games in four seasons in San Antonio. Last season, he averaged 12.1 points, shot 40.7% from the field and 31.4% from three-point range on five attempts per game. He turns 24 in December.
Brown, who was the No. 15 pick in 2018 after starring at Oregon, will play for the Lakers on a minimum deal following stints in Washington and Chicago. He played 66 games last season, all but seven off the bench, and averaged 4.3 points in 16 minutes a game.
Jones, the 30th pick in 2016 by Golden State, spent eight games with the Lakers in 2021, starting six. After his 10-day contracts expired with the Lakers, he signed with Sacramento, where he played last season as well.
Jones, who averaged 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds last season, will sign a two-year minimum contract with a player option for next season. He turned 27 on Thursday.
Toscano-Anderson was a part of the Golden State Warriors championship team, playing in 73 games last season. He averaged 4.1 points and 2.4 rebounds in 13.6 minutes and shot 48.9% from the field and 32.2% from three-point range.
At 29, he gives the Lakers more youth and he’s known for his good defense, making him a 3-and-D player Los Angeles coveted.
Former Lakers guard Malik Monk will sign a two-year contract with the Sacramento Kings, sources informed of the deal unauthorized to speak about it publicly told The Times. The contract is expected to be worth nearly $20 million, more than the Lakers could’ve offered under salary-cap rules.
Monk, 24, rejuvenated his career last season with the Lakers, averaging 13.8 points and making 39.1% of his three-pointers. A former first-round pick of the Charlotte Hornets, the Lakers signed Monk on a one-year minimum deal last season.
The Lakers could only re-sign him using an exception worth around $6 million per season.
Another potential Lakers target, center Mo Bamba, agreed to a deal to remain with the Orlando Magic.
Monk started 37 games for the Lakers last season and recorded career highs nearly across the board statistically.
NBA free agency opened Thursday at 3 p.m. PDT.
