The Los Angeles Lakers announced they have signed undrafted rookie guard Chris Mañon to a two-way deal on Thursday afternoon.
Mañon, 23, spent this summer playing for the Golden State Warriors summer league roster before being signed by the Lakers. He saw action in the California Classic and Las Vegas, where he showed promise as a 6-foot-5 guard/wing.
His first action as a pro was against his now Lakers squad, finishing with eight points, three rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a Warriors victory. His production of stocks were the most impactful part of his game this summer, showcasing his ability to contribute beyond scoring by doing the little things in affecting the game.
In the Warriors final game in Las Vegas, Mañon put on his best performance, racking up 17 points, five rebounds, four steals, two assists and two blocks with a plus-21 plus/minus in Golden State’s 11-point win. Something you love to see in the Lakers development piece.
In five games in Nevada, Mañon averaged 11 points, 5.2 rebounds, two assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.4 steals. He shot an impressive 50% from three, but the volume was low—just 0.8 attempts per game—so it doesn’t quite tell the full story of his perimeter shooting.
Mañon, who grew up in New Milford, NJ, was an undrafted rookie out of Vanderbilt. He spent his first three years in college at Cornell before transferring his senior year to Vanderbilt.
Mañon is going to have to develop his 3-point game to find some NBA minutes, especially on this Lakers roster that relies heavily on their guards and forwards to stretch the floor around Luka Dončić and LeBron James. He could develop into a solid 3-and-D player for this team, as he’s shown all summer; he can do all the little things.