It’s been four years since Marcus Landry was first drafted, and he’s still fighting to find himself a place in the NBA. The next step? Getting invited to training camp for the Los Angeles Lakers after playing for their Summer League team and doing an impressive job.
Landry has played under Mike D’Antoni before: He was with the Knicks for 17 games in the 2009-2010 season, his only one in the league. He was traded to the Boston Celtics that year, playing one game before putting his NBA career on hold, being forced into “exile” overseas.
He has played in the D-League, Spain, Puerto Rico, China and Venezuela before returning to the D-League last season, impressing with the Reno Bighorns, making the D-League All-Star game and winning the three-point competition.
Landry averaged 15.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per game for the Lakers during the Summer League, which did get him a deal with a bit of guaranteed money on it, meaning that it’s about training camp and nothing else for now, but it’s enough for the former Wisconsin player, who is also the brother of Carl Landy, who recently signed with the Sacramento Kings.
The Lakers keep adding pieces to fill their unimpressive roster, but there’s not much they can do in any case. Adding players like Landry, who is hoping to show that in the few minutes he’ll get he can be more than just a limited to three-point shooting small forward and there’s some defense and skills to consider, aren’t really going to make a difference whether they make the postseason or not.
And still, depth, even without too much quality, is important. The Lakers found themselves without any guards heading into the playoffs, with both Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash injured. Landry might not be starting material, but with their key players all being over 30, the Lakers need to have as much cover as they can get.