Lakers Waive Preseason Star Ahead of Trade Deadline

While Lakers fans are hoping for significant roster upgrades, the front office continues to be patient before the trade deadline. Even though the Lakers have shown all season that they are not good enough to compete for a championship this season, GM Rob Pelinka seems too comfortable with the idea of staying the course.

Instead, the Lakers are making moves on the margins, much to the frustration of the fans. On Wednesday evening, Los Angeles waived guard Quincy Olivari.

NBA News: Lakers Waive Quincy Olivari

The 23-year-old combo guard was a success story for the Lakers during training camp and preseason. After going undrafted in the 2024 NFL Draft, the former Xavier standout impressed the Lakers brass to secure a two-way contract.

During the preseason, Olivari had a huge scoring outburst against the Warriors, going 5/9 from three for 22 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. He continued his production in the G League this season, averaging 17.2 points while shooting over 40% from three.

For a team that is in desperate need of shooting, especially after D'Angelo Russell's departure, Olivari could have been a decent depth piece. The Lakers are already light on backcourt depth, overly relying on Austin Reaves offensively. Holding onto Olivari as an emergency backup option would have made some sense.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Olivari is expected to generate some interest in the free agent market. A young player with an upside and a shot-making ability will continue to get chances in the NBA and let's hope Olivari manages to establish his NBA career in his next stop.

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