Lakers to retire Bryant’s two jersey numbers in December

Nets sign Zeller to multi-year deal

LOS ANGELES, Sept 13, (Agencies): The Los Angeles Lakers plan to retire the jersey numbers of Kobe Bryant on Dec 18 prior to the game against the Golden State Warriors. The team will retire both of Bryant’s numbers. Bryant wore both No. 8 and No. 24 during his 20 seasons with the Lakers.

Bryant, an 18-time All-Star who won five NBA titles with the Lakers, retired following the 2015-16 campaign. He wore No. 8 for his first 10 seasons before

In this Marcy 28, 1999 file photo, Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant shoots over New York Knicks’ Patrick Ewing during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Inglewood, Calif. (AP)

switching to No. 24.

The Brooklyn Nets added some toughness to the frontcourt by signing veteran center Tyler Zeller to a multiyear contract. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Zeller, 27, spent the past three seasons with the Boston Celtics and averaged 3.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in 2016-17. In five seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Celtics, Zeller is averaging 7.0 points on 49.9 percent shooting and 4.4 rebounds.

The Detroit Pistons signed guard Dwight Buycks to a two-way contract.

Buycks spent the past two seasons with the Fujian Sturgeons of the Chinese Basketball Association, and averaged over 25 points in each campaign. The Marquette product averaged 4.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 20 career NBA games with the Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers.

As the NBA joins sports leagues around the world in allowing sponsors’ names on jerseys, the Golden State Warriors have inked a logo deal with Rakuten worth a reported $60 million (50 million euros) over three years.

The deal with the reigning NBA champions is just one of the sports sponsorships pursued by Rakuten, the Japanese e-commerce giant whose logo now graces the FC Barcelona kit.