The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Anton Watson and guard Jeenathan “Nate” Williams, the team announced Saturday evening on X (formerly Twitter).
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that both players are expected to remain on the roster when training camp opens next week.
Watson’s path to Los Angeles
Watson, who turns 25 next week, entered the league as the 54th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Boston brought him in on a two-way contract, but the 6-foot-8 forward did not appear in an NBA game for the Celtics before being waived in early March. He was claimed by New York and logged nine games with the Knicks to close the season.
Williams seeks a new opportunity
Williams, 26, spent the last two seasons with Houston after debuting with Portland in 2022-23. The 6-foot-5 guard converted his two-way deal into a standard contract in March 2025, yet the Rockets released him in July to avoid guaranteeing his $2,270,735 salary. He averaged 3.3 points in 7.4 minutes across 20 appearances last season.
Corresponding moves
To open roster spots, Los Angeles waived forwards Tevian Jones and Eric Dixon, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. Jones had signed with the Lakers on Friday, while Dixon joined the club in late July. Both players hold Exhibit 10 contracts and are expected to land with the South Bay Lakers, where they can earn bonuses of up to $85,300 by staying at least 60 days.
Source: Hoops Rumors
