The Los Angeles Lakers could be close to a reunion with swingman Metta World Peace, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
World Peace has been working out at the Lakers' training facility and is expected to continue doing so until the start of training camp. No deal is in place, but there's an expectation that the two sides will agreed to a one-year pact later this month, Wojnarowski notes.
The notorious 35-year-old previously played four seasons with the Lakers after signing a five-year deal in 2009. World Peace - who was then known as Ron Artest - etched his name in Lakers lore by nailing a clutch 3-pointer in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals that essentially secured the title for Los Angeles.
After 2010, however, age caught up with World Peace, leading to a substantial decline in the former Defensive Player of the Year's skill set. His time with the Lakers came to an end in 2013, when he was waived using the amnesty clause.
Following his stint with the Lakers, World Peace logged an injury-plagued season with the New York Knicks, before leaving the NBA to play in China and Italy.
World Peace was always known for his physical style of defense, but at age 35 and having likely lost much of his athleticism, it's unclear how he could contribute to the Lakers beyond providing a veteran presence.
Across 15 seasons in the NBA, Artest posted career averages of 13.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.8 steals in 33 minutes per game. He made one All-Star team, secured one All-NBA Third Team selection, and was named to the All-Defensive team four times.
