The Los Angeles Lakers have finalized the addition of No. 36 pick Adou Thiero to their roster, as the newly-signed rookie agreed to a three-year, $5.95 million contract. With Thiero officially on the team, the Purple and Gold have added more depth to their wing rotation.
Thiero’s contract breakdown is quite promising for the Lakers. At an average of under $2 million per season, Thiero is a safe signing with a high upside. As per the contract details provided by HoopsHype, the 21-year-old forward will be guaranteed for two years, and the third year will be a team option.
The signing for the Lakers is quite significant as Thiero is presented as a high-value player. The Arkansas product has displayed impressive defensive ability along with two-way potential.
In his junior year at Arkansas, the forward notched an average of 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 54.5% from the field. Defensively, Thiero was quite versatile, having recorded an average of 1.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.
Adou Thiero is a 6’8” DEMON 😈
MOST ATHLETIC PLAYER IN THE CLASS 🐐 pic.twitter.com/8m9vvyo8zx
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) June 27, 2025
Given what the Purple and Gold’s expect from players in his position, Thiero ticks the right boxes on the defensive and athletic fronts. Unfortunately, his perimeter shooting leaves more to be desired, having averaged only 25.6% from three-point range.
This may be a concern for the team as they prepare for the new season. At 21 years old, there is a lot of scope for improvement as a shooter. But considering his free-throw percentage of 68.6%, his shooting fundamentals may need considerable work.
As things stand, Thiero will find himself competing for minutes with some formidable players on the wings. With LeBron James and Rui Hachimura currently leading the starting rotation, the Purple and Gold will also feature players like Jarred Vanderbilt and new free agent signing Jake LaRavia off the bench.
When considering the Lakers’ interest in acquiring more players on the wing, the 21-year-old will have to work very hard to earn minutes on this roster.
While the addition of Thiero is exciting news for the fans, they will have to be patient before they see him don the Lakers’ purple and gold jersey. Having sustained a knee injury right before making his debut appearance for the team, the forward is expected to be sidelined for the Las Vegas Summer League.
Meanwhile, the Lakers will continue with their offseason roster construction activities. Although there haven’t been major updates since the signing of Deandre Ayton in free agency, the organization will look to bolster their overall roster depth in preparation for the new season.
