Lakers reportedly guarantee Wenyen Gabriel's contract for rest of season

The Los Angeles Lakers are just barely hanging on this season as injuries run through the roster, but a one-time Wildcat is helping keep the franchise afloat. Now, he’s being rewarded for his efforts.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin, former Kentucky forward Wenyen Gabriel is having his contract with the Lakers guaranteed for the remainder of the 2022-23 season. Now in his fourth year in the NBA, Gabriel is averaging 5.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in 14.4 minutes for the Lakers this season, starting two of the 29 games he’s appeared in.

The Lakers had until Jan. 10 to guarantee Gabriel’s contract, but went ahead and locked him up a few days in advance.

Reporting with @mcten: As expected, the Lakers are guaranteeing the contracts of Austin Reaves and Wenyen Gabriel for the rest of the season.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 6, 2023

Gabriel initially signed a two-way deal with the Lakers near the end of the 2021-22 season before having that converted into a two-year minimum deal in April. So far in 2022-23, he’s been one of Los Angeles’ most important role players, providing energy and rebounding off the bench mostly as a small-ball center.

After a sprained shoulder kept Gabriel off the floor for nearly two weeks, he’s returned as a key piece for the Lakers. In nine games since coming back to the hardwood, he’s averaging 7.4 points and 4.4 rebounds in 16.4 minutes per game while shooting 62.8 percent from the field. He had played for five different NBA teams during his first three seasons before finding a home in LA.

Gabriel is set to earn $1.88 million this year as a result of his contract being fully guaranteed. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.