The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

THE Los Angeles Lakers continue to tweak their roster prior to the NBA Playoffs, clearly a sign that they are all in on winning an NBA championship this season.

Yesterday, the Lakers signed veteran guard Dion Waiters, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

The deal will bind Waiters to the Lakers for the remainder of this season.However, the Lakers hold the right to release Waiters at any time.

Waiters was on the open market after being waived by the Memphis Grizzlies on February 9.

Memphis is overachieving and has a real shot of making the playoffs. Sitting in the eighth seed, the team owns a 3.5-game advantage on the ninth-place Portland Trail Blazers.

Based on how his career has unfolded, Waiters probably wasn't the kind of player to add to a locker room full of younger players still in the development phase.

Waiters' departure from Miami brought an end to what was a tumultuous final season with the Heat.

He received a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team in October and a 10-game ban for the same reason in November.

Waiters is averaging 13.2 points per game over his career while shooting 41.2 per cent from the field and 34.8 per cent from beyond the arc.

Waiters might be able to provide the instant scoring the Lakers have lacked at times this year, especially when they have to rest Anthony Davis or LeBron James.

Signing Waiters carries obvious risk for Los Angeles.

But landing significant difference-makers at this stage of the season is nearly impossible.

If Waiters can enjoy a standout performance in a playoff game, he will have justified the Lakers' investment.

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