LOS ANGELES — If the first day of free agency meant the return of some graybeards for the Lakers, the second day meant something entirely different.

The Lakers made sure their roster would have some youth on it, agreeing to terms with three players in their 20s on Tuesday — Kendrick Nunn, Malik Monk and a familiar name for Lakers fans, Talen Horton-Tucker.


What You Need To Know

  • The Lakers made sure their roster would have some youth on it

  • Perhaps the Lakers’ most important move Tuesday was keeping one of their own free agents, Horton-Tucker

  • Horton-Tucker agreed to a three-year, $32-million deal, according to reports

  • NBA teams cannot officially announce signings until Friday

The Lakers also picked up former All-Star Carmelo Anthony, a veteran scorer who still has some gas in his tank, but the youth movement carried the day for a team that looked a little old after Monday’s clear plan to sign established veterans.

Perhaps the Lakers’ most important move Tuesday was keeping one of their own free agents, Horton-Tucker, a 20-year-old shooting guard who showed promise in his second NBA season and could be an important piece in the future.

Horton-Tucker agreed to a three-year, $32-million deal, according to reports, a salary number that seemed to be in line with what many observers expected. He uncorked some late-season outbursts — 24 points against Utah and 23 against Houston — that gave a glimpse of what the former second-round pick could bring to the NBA level.

The Lakers also added Nunn, a 26-year-old shooting guard who agreed to a two-year deal worth about $12.5 million after averaging 14.6 points and shooting a respectable 38% from three-point range last season for Miami.

Nunn absorbed all of the Lakers’ “taxpayer mid-level exception,” the most valuable free-agent tool for a salary cap-strapped team. His time in Miami appeared to be near its end when the Heat traded for guard Kyle Lowry a day earlier.

The Lakers also acquired Monk, a 23-year-old shooting guard who averaged 11.7 points and shot a noteworthy 40% from three-point range for Charlotte last season. He was the 11th overall pick in the 2017 draft but never quite lived up to the pre-draft hype coming out of Kentucky.

Monk had a solid mid-season run as injuries depleted the Hornets’ backcourt, averaging 16.6 points in February and 13.5 in March. However, it was not enough to get him more than a one-year veteran’s minimum deal with the Lakers for about $1.7 million.

Not to be forgotten, Anthony agreed to join the Lakers after two productive seasons in Portland. His best days are behind him and he turned 37 in May, but he offers a veteran’s mind-set while still being able to put points on the board. He accepted a one-year contract for $2.6 million with the Lakers after averaging 14.3 points in his relatively brief run with the Trail Blazers.

Anthony was more in line with the Lakers’ thinking when they added veterans Dwight Howard, Wayne Ellington, Trevor Ariza and Kent Bazemore on the first day of free agency. Their average age is 34 years old. The average age of the four players the Lakers added Tuesday was 26.5 years old, including Anthony.

NBA teams cannot officially announce signings until Friday, at which point Lakers officials are expected to comment on their flurry of transactions, including last week’s blockbuster trade for Russell Westbrook.

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