Los Angeles have signed former Phoenix Suns centre Tyson Chandler, picking him up off the wavier wire on Wednesday (AEDT).
Chandler was bought out by the Suns after playing just seven games in Phoenix this season, and moves to the Lakers to help them on the defensive end.
LA currently allow 120.0 points per game, the fourth-worst figure in the NBA, and have a 4-6 record through the team's opening 10 games.
Chandler, who was named the Defensive Player of the Year in the 2011-12 season and was an All-Star in 2013, was the right man to bring in and help steady the ship defensively, according to General Manager Rob Pelinka.
โHaving observed our roster for the first 10 games of this young season, one of the areas that Earvin and I discussed with Luke that we desired to upgrade is interior defense and rebounding,โ Pelinka told nba.com/lakers.
โIn Tyson Chandler we addressed that need, and so much more. We are excited that Tyson will bring championship-level experience to our Lakers team that will solidify our veteran leadership and help positively shape our young core. We are thrilled for Tyson to join us as we progress towards our ultimate goals as a team.โ
Chandler boasts career averages of 8.6 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 28.2 minutes per game, across his 1,086-game career.
