During the disastrous 2021-22 season, the Los Angeles Lakers had a glaring lack of depth, especially at both forward positions. It was a major factor in them missing the play-in tournament that season, which rendered the previous offseason’s Russell Westbrook trade a failure.
Late in the campaign, Los Angeles picked up free agent big man Wenyen Gabriel. He played the rest of the year and all of last season with the team. Although he is undersized, at 6-foot-9 and 205 pounds, he always gave 100%, which especially helped him on the boards.
During the 2022-23 season, Gabriel averaged 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 15.1 minutes a game.
Now, with training camp about to start, Gabriel signed a deal to join the Lakers’ archrivals, the Boston Celtics.
Free agent 7 footer Wenyen Gabriel has agreed to a training camp deal with the Boston Celtics, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 1, 2023
Gabriel joins a new-look Celtics team that is bringing in borderline All-Stars Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday while giving up Malcolm Brogdon, Marcus Smart, Robert Williams III and Grant Williams. It badly needs depth, and Gabriel should help a bit.