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Lakers: Can L.J. Figueroa Make A Preseason Splash?

A deeper dive into L.A.'s new swingman.
Alex Kirschenbaum|
Lakers: Can L.J. Figueroa Make A Preseason Splash?
Lakers: Can L.J. Figueroa Make A Preseason Splash?

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Los Angeles Lakers

On Saturday, your Los Angeles Lakers made some changes to their training camp invite personnel. L.A. opted to cut wings Dwayne Bacon and Javante McCoy, in favor of new additions Shaquille Harrison, a combo guard, and small forward L.J. Figueroa.

So can the new guys stick around? 

Figueroa, who played for the Golden State Warriors briefly during their 2021 training camp before being cut, could get his first chance for a showcase against Golden State tonight, during L.A.'s fourth 2022 preseason contest.

The 6'6" swingman, 24, spent his college years with the University of Oregon. He went undrafted in the summer of 2021, and then signed with Domican team Leones de Santo Domingo, with whom he would win a league title before linking up with the Warriors in the subsequent NBA preseason.

When Golden State cut him, Figueroa pivoted, signing with the team's G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, where he would remain for the rest of the 2021-22 season. In 32 contests with the Santa Cruz Warriors during the 2021-22 season, he averaged 16.7 points (on .494/.323/.781 shooting), 8.7 boards, 2.4 dimes, a steal and 0.6 blocks per night.

Figueroa played for the Charlotte Hornets' Summer League squad in July. Last month, he signed a deal with L.A.'s NBA G League affiliate in El Segundo, the South Bay Lakers, so joining the training camp squad, where he'll get to at least practice around All-Star forwards LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

He's a lengthy, crafty wing with big hands and a lengthy seven-foot wingspan, capable of occasional explosive verticality:

His foot speed and court sense are impressive. Note the way he outflanks the opposition to grab a rebound for a putback flush:

The dude is, frankly, a dunk machine, at least against smaller, slower Summer League competition:

Figueroa's abilities around the rim are no joke, on either end of the floor.

How much this will translate to the next level remains to be seen. Here's hoping Darvin Ham lets him get some rotation opportunities.

He is a solid attacker and decent passer, but occasionally needs to use his length on defense when confronted with faster players. He has proven to be a better shooter in catch-and-shoot opportunities than in transition, which is fine for his current roster.

Given L.A.'s fairly urgent need for long-range shooting along the wing, and the fact the team is already loaded with decent athletes, it may prove tough for Figueroa to actually crack L.A.'s rotation. He will most likely get a further look with South Bay.

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Currently also a scribe for Newsweek, Hoops Rumors, The Sporting News and "Gremlins" director Joe Dante's film site Trailers From Hell, Alex is an alum of Men's Journal, Grizzlies fan site Grizzly Bear Blues, and Bulls fan sites Blog-A-Bull and Pippen Ain't Easy, among others.

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