Lakers Rumors: Dion Waiters Impresses In Los Angeles Workout

Dion Waiters exhibited brilliance in his workout with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday according to a report.

Shams Chanaria of the Athletic said the Lakers summed up Waiters' workout as an "impressive showing," but added that the free-agent guard still has to go through a series of steps before cracking a spot in the team's roster, including meetings with the organization's executives.

"Lakers have completed workout with free agent Dion Waiters and he had an impressive showing, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Next portion of Waiters' visit to the Lakers: Meeting with Frank Vogel, Rob Pelinka and Kurt Rambis," Chanaria wrote.

Waiters was bought out by the Memphis Grizzlies after the Miami Heat traded him during last month's deadline. He has only played a total of three games this season - all of which took place in January while wearing a Heat jersey - as he was slapped by several suspensions due to acts detrimental to the team per Miami president Pat Riley.

But the former fourth overall pick is said to have realized his faults, according to Chanaria, and is willing to accept any role should the Lakers sign him for the rest of the season.

"I'm told Waiters owned up to his mistakes and errors in Miami," said Chanaria, who then mentioned the Lakers are likewise taking a close look at J.R. Smith as a potential acquisition.

Save for the controversies, Waiters could definitely become a nifty asset who can score at will for the Lakers. In 44 games last season, the 28-year-old averaged 12.0 points while shooting 37.7 percent from downtown.

Waiters got the head start over Smith who has not been involved in competitive basketball since November of 2018. The latter got the championship experience but the long break certainly has its repercussions that could manifest inside the court. As Joseph Zucker of Bleacher Report would put it, "No matter what (Smith) has been doing to stay in shape, his long layoff will make it hard to get him back up to speed, especially on a new team with so little time left in the regular season."