Shabazz Muhammad was one of the last spark plug options off the bench left in free agency prior to the start of training camps, giving his hometown Los Angeles Lakers the chance to keep a close eye on him while he underwent negotiations with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The lefty swingman admitted he was close to signing with the purple and gold earlier this month, but ultimately chose to win in a place he felt comfortable, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press.

Muhammad had spent his last four seasons in Minnesota, averaging 9.9 points per game coming off Tom Thibodeau's bench last season in an important role.

The Timberwolves only had veteran minimum contracts to offer, a discouraging sign for a player with such promise that can have an impact in an NBA roster.

This time around, the 6-foot-6 wing will play alongside three-time Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford, who recruited him to stay after he was signed by the team having cleared waivers.

The two will be in charge of bringing a potent scoring punch off the bench and provide the perimeter scoring that the starting lineup will sorely need throughout the season.