With Rob Pelinka not making any additions to the roster during free agency, it looks like the Lakers are going to rely heavily on their rookies next season. Although most of you might be well aware of Bronny James and Dalton Knecht by now, who the Lakers picked on draft night, not much is known about their latest two-way signing Armel Traore.

The forward who once shared the court with French sensation Victor Wembanyama could be the solution to one major problem for the Lakers. But who is Armel Traore and what can he bring to the table? Let’s dive in.

Armel Traore pro career and Lakers’ selection

Taking his first breath on January 23, 2003, Armel was born in the beautiful country of France. Then, he grew up around hoop culture and developed an interest in the game. Sure enough, he turned pro at the early age of 18 and began his career playing for AS Monaco in France’s LNB Pro A and EuroLeague.

During his rookie season, the forward did not get much playing time and even fell short of averaging two points in 11 appearances. However, realizing his potential, a French coach called him to join forces with Victor Wembanyama in the team Metropolitans 92. Playing alongside the future Spurs star, Traore increased his averages to 5.8 points and over three rebounds.

“It was great. I learned a lot.” Armel said, looking back on his experience of sharing the court with Wemby. With Wemby getting drafted to the league last year, Traore also switched teams and joined Blois, where he averaged a career-high 10.8 points and over seven boards. But he believed it was time to take an even bigger leap and entered his name in this year’s NBA draft. Unfortunately, no team selected him on draft night. However, the Lakers saw potential in him and signed him on a two-way contract in June.

Grateful for the opportunity, Traore shared a heartfelt message on Instagram along with a childhood picture of him wearing a Lakers shirt, “First and foremost, I want to thank my family, my friends, my agents for the great amount of support, and also most importantly, Al Hamdoulilah for everything🙏🏽” Then, he expressed excitement after finally realizing his childhood dream, “I grew up as Kobe fan. Now it’s time for me to start my journey in the NBA with this amazing franchise and fans. @lakers Appreciate you for the opportunity! I’m so blessed and thankful. Let’s get to work 😤”

Armel Traore could solve the Lakers’ major problem

Making his debut for the Lakers in the Summer League, Traore showed immense growth potential. In his five appearances, he averaged 7.2 points and nearly five rebounds. Moreover, his 6’8 frame could make him exactly what the Lakers need right now. With the departure of Taurean Prince earlier this summer, the Lakers have gotten themselves in quite a pickle.

Having an elite playmaker like LeBron James, the team has always surrounded him with great three and D guys who can guard multiple positions and knock down deep-range shots whenever required. Although they still have Jarred Vanderbilt on the roster, he has not been too reliable recently because of health concerns. Just this past season, Vando was limited to playing only 29 games due to injury and averaged merely 5.2 points. On top of that, he shot less than 30% from deep range.

But with Armel on the roster, the Lakers could fill that void. During a recent interview, he took pride in his defense, “I’m a dog… I’m gonna guard everybody from one to five.” While his mindset is right where the Lakers would want, there is still one major weakness in his game. Although he had a decent Summer League showing, he shot only 20% from the three-point range, and that will not work well if he wants to be a three and D guy on the team. However, he is very young and has enough time to develop his game.

Sure enough, he has the same goal for his rookie season. When asked what is the primary thing he wants to improve in his game, he said, “I would say definitely my shooting. I wanna be a better shooter. I think if I can make this case, my game is gonna be good.” Having JJ Redick as the head coach will surely help speed up his progress as he is one of the best shooters in league history. With the best coaches and resources available and a zeal to get better, Traore could reach his goal as his career progresses. More importantly, it will immensely help the Lakers in their title pursuit. Do you agree?

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger