Metta World Peace Offically Back With the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers welcome a new face to the fold with reports that Metta World Peace and Lakers have agreed to a one-year non-guaranteed contract.

In early September, reports flew in that Peace had begun working out with the Lakers at a training facility in El Segudo. Such sparked rumors of a possible return by the temperamental forward who is already 35 years old.

With the Lakers sorely needing help on the defensive end and a mentor to help the youth-oriented frontline of the Los Angeles Lakers, however, Peace seemed to fit in perfectly. And today, all that has been answered though his contract is non-guaranteed.

Peace will be making a return to the NBA scene after stepping away for about a year and a half from the league.

To recall, the 35-year-old forward was waived back in July of 2013 before being subsequently picked up by the New York Knicks. Peace would be eventually waived in February, 2014 and eventually take his act in the international scene (brief stints in China and Italy).

While his insertion is obviously expected to toughen up the Lakers’ defense, it was his work with Julius Randle that reportedly impressed the Lakers the most.

Randle, who himself is making a return after incurring a broken leg right in his very first game as a professional basketball player, stands to benefit the most from Peace.

In fact, the Lakers have reportedly already seen improvement in the Lakers sophomore and presumably expect him to improve more once the season officially opens in October.

 Aside from defense in mentoring, it would not be surprising if Peace turns out to be another veteran that will join hands with a returning Kobe Bryant this coming season.

The Lakers are trying to shake off the stigma of two forgettable seasons which saw the Lakers end up in the tail-end of the Western Conference.

Peace and Bryant are the only remaining remnants of the Lakers championship team of 2009-10 and the Lakers are pinning their hopes that the two can whip up the younger turks heading into the coming season.

Peace is likely to come off the bench for the Lakers this season though his (and his teammates) performance could change all that when the 2015-16 season kicks off.

Aside from Bryant and Randle, Peace joins a curious bunch of players for the coming season. The list includes another sophomore in Jordan Clarkson, incoming rookie D’Angelo Russell, new veteran faces like Lou Williams, Roy Hibbert and Brandon Bass plus some holdovers from last season in Nick Young and Tarik Black.