Wizards claim former Gonzaga star & Lakers camp body Joel Ayayi off waivers

[FAH1223]

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[doclinkin]

Cool. I like his game. Seems like a good fit for a Wes team and this particular squad. Plus with him on the team we are sure make the NCAA finals.

[FAH1223]

Cool. I like his game. Seems like a good fit for a Wes team and this particular squad. Plus with him on the team we are sure make the NCAA finals.

[closg00]

French guy, know 100% that Tommy "found" Jan Vesely...still building that Euro Dream Team. All joking aside, I have seen him a little, he can stroke it from deep, but is not a good shot creator/dribbler.

[closg00]

Watch on YouTube

[payitforward]

Ayayi had a monster year at Gonzaga. He has excellent size & good athleticism. He looks like a guy who will have a solid, productive career in the NBA. IMO, this is an outstanding pick up for us.

[closg00]

Watch on YouTube

This comment had 67 thumbs-up so-far
"I’m so glad they waived Ayayi. He hasn’t done a damn thing. Not even flashes of potential. Someone else definitely deserves that two way. Who that may be? I’m not sure yet but I’m leaning towards Brown even though he does ball hog a bit and gets lost on offense sometimes."

[FAH1223]

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/oct/15/lakers-waive-former-gonzaga-standout-joel-ayayi/

The Los Angeles Lakers waived former Gonzaga standout Joel Ayayi four days before Tuesday’s season opener against Golden State.

Ayayi was the biggest name among four players waived Friday because he had agreed to a two-way contract with the Lakers shortly after the NBA Draft in July. The Lakers added Sekou Doumbouya earlier this week on a two-way deal, which allows the 2019 first-round pick to split time between the Lakers and G-League South Bay.

Ayayi’s departure leaves Los Angeles with one available two-way contract. Austin Reeves’ two-way contract was converted into a standard NBA contract.

Ayayi, 21, struggled in seven NBA summer league games and five preseason games. The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 4.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 21.7 minutes in summer league. He shot 40.6% from the field, including just 2 of 13 on 3-pointers.

He finished with just two points in 46 preseason minutes. He made 1 of 10 field-goal attempts. He had four rebounds and an assist in three minutes in the Lakers’ loss to Sacramento on Thursday.

[CobraCommander]

Like him growing in the g-league for us vs them

[NatP4]

One of my favorite players in the draft. Home run pickup

[doclinkin]

Like him growing in the g-league for us vs them

Yeah I'd like any/all of the guys who were fighting for that last 2-way slot on our G-League team. Though Jay Huff and Jordan Schakel were cut.

Still a team with:

Cassius Winston
Schakel
Joel Ayayi, Jordan Goodwin
Jay Huff
Jaime Echinque

Seems like it would be fun to watch develop.

[Ruzious]

Jerian Grant was the comparison I made, and sure enough - he comes to the Wiz. Hopefully he has more success. No doubt Rui and Kispert will both be happy to see him. Personally, I would have kept Huff, but Ayayi deserves a shot.

[nate33]

What is it with Lakers retreads? We now have 5 former Lakers on the roster: Kuzma, KCP, Harrell, Bryant and Ayayi.

[payitforward]

What is it with Lakers retreads? We now have 5 former Lakers on the roster: Kuzma, KCP, Harrell, Bryant and Ayayi.

Not to mention our having picked up both Moe Wagner & Isaac Bonga from them as well.

I've said this before -- I don't think this is random. I.e. when the Lakers cut Bryant, it was because they had to: they had no roster room for him. But, they knew he was an outstanding prospect.

So... where do you want to send a kid like that? As far away as you possibly can! To the other conference. To the other side of the continent. I am 100% certain that Rob Pelinka called Tommy in advance to let him know Bryant was going to be available.

Same with Bonga & Wagner -- if one of those guys turns out to be good, you don't want to see him when you play a conference foe: the media will be reminding you of the "mistake" you made in getting rid of him. Solution? Send him East.

Same with Ayayi? Who knows? But it looks to me like we have a pretty easy & open channel of communication with the Lakers FO, so I wouldn't be surprised.

[TGW]

Considering the Lakers have, by far and away, the better scouting department, I would say it's a good strategy by the Wizards FO. And yes, that was a backhanded compliment.

[closg00]

What is it with Lakers retreads? We now have 5 former Lakers on the roster: Kuzma, KCP, Harrell, Bryant and Ayayi.

I would have grabbed Raptors cast-off Ishmail Wainright

[Dat2U]

What is it with Lakers retreads? We now have 5 former Lakers on the roster: Kuzma, KCP, Harrell, Bryant and Ayayi.

Not to mention our having picked up both Moe Wagner & Isaac Bonga from them as well.

I've said this before -- I don't think this is random. I.e. when the Lakers cut Bryant, it was because they had to: they had no roster room for him. But, they knew he was an outstanding prospect.

So... where do you want to send a kid like that? As far away as you possibly can! To the other conference. To the other side of the continent. I am 100% certain that Rob Pelinka called Tommy in advance to let him know Bryant was going to be available.

Same with Bonga & Wagner -- if one of those guys turns out to be good, you don't want to see him when you play a conference foe: the media will be reminding you of the "mistake" you made in getting rid of him. Solution? Send him East.

Same with Ayayi? Who knows? But it looks to me like we have a pretty easy & open channel of communication with the Lakers FO, so I wouldn't be surprised.

They cut Ayayi in large part because of my boy Austin Reeves who I touted as a sleeper before the draft. Austin is just more creative with the rock and fearless while Ayayi seemed hesitant and a bit lost when adjusting to the speed of the game.

It's a good pickup though. Ayayi just needs time to build some confidence and continue to develop his all around game.

[NatP4]

Jerian Grant was the comparison I made, and sure enough - he comes to the Wiz. Hopefully he has more success. No doubt Rui and Kispert will both be happy to see him. Personally, I would have kept Huff, but Ayayi deserves a shot.

I would compare him to KCP. Not really a primary initiator. More of an off the ball combo guard. Going to be an elite floor spacing weapon and a guy that fills the stat sheet, rebounds, assists, steals, and a solid defender. Also one of the best cutters in college basketball.

[Dat2U]

I think most of us would have been okay if Ayayi was drafted by the Wizards in the 2nd. I think he has as much chance of being successful as Todd does, if not more.

I agree with payit that we clearly got an open channel of communication with the Lakers where we take the excess talent they don't have spots for. Maybe I should be paying more attention to the back of their roster lol.

[payitforward]

Oh, this is funny!

We signed Ayayi to a 2 way deal -- & the Lakers just signed Jay Huff, whom we waived, to a 2-way deal. More confirmation of my hypothesis that we are in close touch with that team!