Lakers sign 6-foot-8 ex-Knicks, Celtics forward after NBA Draft

After the end of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers immediately started signing contributors to undrafted and Summer League deals.

Regarding Summer League contracts, the Lakers signed a 6-foot-8 ex- New York Knicks and Boston Celtics forward.

“Former Gonzaga/G-Prep standout Anton Watson will return to NBA Summer League with his third different team,” Spokesman Review’s Theo Lawson reported Wednesday. “Watson, who previously played for Boston (2024) and New York (2025), will suit up for the Lakers. Former GU teammate Drew Timme isn't on LA's Summer League roster.”

After a successful five-year collegiate career at Gonzaga, Watson landed with the Celtics in the 2024 NBA Draft (No. 54 overall pick). The 25-year-old never appeared in an NBA game for the 18-time NBA champions, though, as he spent most of his rookie season with the franchise’s G-League affiliate (Maine Celtics) before getting waived in early March. 

Watson joined the Knicks shortly after, contributing 0.9 points, 0.3 rebounds, and 0.2 assists in nine outings with the franchise during the 2024-25 campaign. Interestingly, the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho native joined the Lakers last September, but didn’t make the organization’s opening night roster. 

The move prompted Watson to join the South Bay Lakers (Los Angeles’ G-League affiliate), where he averaged 10.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in 16 contests. 

It’ll be interesting to see how Watson performs with Los Angeles during the quickly approaching Summer League.

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