Tristan Thompson, Shaq Harrison Agree to Lakers Contracts Ahead of NBA Playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers announced Sunday that they have signed guard Shaquille Harrison and power forward Tristan Thompson to bolster their depth for the NBA playoffs.

ESPN's Dave McMenamin first reported the contracts.

Los Angeles waived Davon Reed to open a roster spot to accommodate both signings.

Thompson worked out for the Lakers in March. He has yet to appear in a game this year after splitting the 2021-22 campaign between the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls. The 32-year-old averaged 6.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in 57 games.

The four seasons Thompson played together with LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2015-18 was almost certainly a factor in the Lakers' decision to bring him aboard.

Harrison signed with Los Angeles in October but was waived before the team tipped off the regular season. He signed a 10-day contract with the Portland Trail Blazers in March and averaged 8.8 points on 41.7 percent shooting over five contests.

The 29-year-old posted a double-double (13 points, 10 assists) on Saturday in a 136-125 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Harrison has spent most of the year with the South Bay Lakers, the organization's G League affiliate, so the front office is familiar with his game and have an understanding of how he fits into the rotation.

General manager Rob Pelinka's wheeling and dealing around the trade deadline has paid big dividends. At 42-39, Los Angeles is seventh in the Western Conference and can still overtake the Golden State Warriors for the sixth seed.

You wouldn't expect Thompson or Harrison to play meaningful roles for the Lakers, but a team can never have too much depth ahead of the postseason.

Remaining in the play-in tournament means L.A. will have at least one additional game before it reached the first round of the playoffs. Having two players at the end of the bench to soak up limited minutes will be a nice luxury.