Ex Laker and Knick Joins Trae Young and Co in Free Agency

The Los Angeles Lakers have waived forward Dylan Windler, who was on a two-way contract with the team on March 2. To fill the open roster spot, they signed center Harry Giles to a similar contract. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Windler has found a new home, signing a two-way deal with the Atlanta Hawks led by Trae Young. The Hawks had an open slot after converting another player, Trent Forrest, to a standard contract, allowing them to add Windler without needing to make any further roster adjustments.

Dylan Winder started the season with the Knicks in a two-way contract. Between the Knicks and Lakers, Windler had been averaging 1.3 points in the 11 games played this year. This 27-year-old baller spent his first 3 seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in the big league.

But wait, that’s not it! Windler has become a bit of a G League legend, averaging a jaw-dropping 13.4 points and 8 rebounds in those games. He even bagged a record-breaking 33 rebounds in a single game, becoming only the second player in history to pull off a 20-point, 30-rebound performance in the G League.

This move is extra interesting because of a special rule named after, well, not Windler, but fellow baller Harry Giles. This rule allows players with four years of experience to sign a two-way contract if they missed a full season due to injury, which applies to Windler. So, he gets one last shot to impress the Hawks and potentially land a permanent spot next season.

Uphill Battle for the Playoffs

The Atlanta Hawks have found themselves in an uncomfortable position, clinging on to the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference. This situation comes while facing significant troubles with their star player, Trae Young, sidelined for several weeks on account of his left hand surgery.

Prior to this recent rough patch, Atlanta held a decent 4-game lead for the final play-in spot. However, their crucial 2-game series against the Brooklyn Nets did not go as planned, making the race much tighter. With the playoffs around the corner and the Eastern Conference landscape constantly shifting, the Hawks face an uphill battle to get through to the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are left with a thinner roster due to injuries. They’re missing key players such as guard Gabe Vincent, forward Jarred Vanderbilt and big men Christian Wood and Colin Castleton on account of different injuries which isn’t ideal for their playoff push as the Lakers are currently the 10th seed in the Western Conference right below the Golden State Warriors.

Will Windler soar with the Hawks? Will the Lakers overcome their injury woes? Stay tuned to find out!

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