EL SEGUNDO - The Los Angeles Lakers have extended qualifying offers to forward Devin Ebanks and guard Darius Morris, making them both restricted free agents, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
A second year player out of West Virginia, Ebanks was selected by the Lakers in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2010 NBA Draft. The 6-9 forward appeared in 24 games (12 starts) with the Lakers last season, averaging 4.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 16.5 minutes. Ebanks also appeared in three games for the D-Fenders, averaging 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in 32.0 minutes.
Ebanks has career averages of 3.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.30 assists in 44 games.
Selected by the Lakers in the second round (41st overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft, Morris appeared in 19 regular season games for the Lakers last season, averaging 2.4 points and 1.1 assists in 8.9 minutes. In addition to his role with the Lakers, Morris played in one game with the D-Fenders, where he recorded 21 points, one rebound and four assists in 28 minutes of play.
The 6-4 guard out of the University of Michigan, played two seasons for the Wolverines where he averaged 9.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists. An All-Big Ten Third Team selection during his sophomore year, Morris also set a Michigan record for assists in a single season (235).
In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.