The Los Angeles Lakers are set to have a lot of new faces when the 2026-27 NBA season begins.
On Monday, the Lakers made another free agency move, signing Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams to a one-year deal worth $3 million, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Dan Woike, the Lakers reporter for The Athletic, revealed that the New Orleans Pelicans made a run, but the desire for Williams to play in LA was enticing.
The Lakers have agreed to a deal with Ziaire Williams, team and league sources say. New Orleans had made a push in recent days to sign the 24-year-old, but the chance to play for his hometown Lakers in a winning situation has him headed to LA.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) July 13, 2026
Williams was born in Lancaster, Calif., and he played at Stanford before being selected 10th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Williams then spent three seasons with the Grizzlies before joining the Brooklyn Nets via a trade in the summer of 2024.
Williams is 6-foot-9 and averaged 10.2 points with 2.4 rebounds last season for Brooklyn.
Bronny James and Williams both played at Sierra Canyon High School in 2019-20, so there is a connection there.
The Lakers’ offseason activity includes a new four-year deal for Austin Reaves, a blockbuster sign-and-trade for Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, and signing all of Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Collin Sexton and Kevon Looney.
