Lakers Center Medically Cleared to Play for First Time Since 2023

Los Angeles is finally getting some frontcourt reinforcements this year.

Dec 12, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the Los Angeles Lakers logo on the shorts of forward LeBron James (23) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are finally getting some frontcourt help this year.

With only reserve center Jaxson Hayes available to start the season behind All-NBA Lakers big man Anthony Davis to start the 2024-25 season, L.A. has been limited to using the raw former lottery pick.

Now, for the first time since the 2022-23 season, a high-upside L.A. two-way signing gamble is poised to show off what he can do.

Center Christian Koloko has been medically cleared by the NBA's fitness-to-play panel to suit up this season, sources inform Shams Charania of ESPN. Koloko had missed the entire 2023-24 season due to a blood clotting issue, and was snatched up by Los Angeles this summer to fill one of the team's three two-way slots.

Koloko has now been given the official green light to practice with the team. Per Charania, he willl begin partaking in club practices this week, as he gears up to play for the first time in a game since April 2023.

Selected with the No. 33 pick in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors, Koloko was cut by Toronto after being ruled out for the 2023-24 season due to his blood clots. By waiving Koloko, the Raptors were able to accommodate the returning pieces they were getting in their trade to ship out All-Star power forward Pascal Siakam to the Eastern Conference Finals-bound Indiana Pacers.

After the team revealed it had signed him to a two-way deal, vice president of basketball operations/general manager Rob Pelinka expressed hope that Koloko would be able to join the club sooner rather than later, noting that L.A.'s own medical staff had examined Koloko and was satisfied he'd be able to play.

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The 7-foot-1 big man was honored as the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year during his 2021-22 season at Arizona. Across 58 contests during his 2022-23 rookie season with the Raptors, Koloko averaged 3.1 points 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks — in just 13.8 minutes per. Los Angeles is no doubt hoping that his 7-foot-5 wingspan and upside as an elite rim protector could help give the club a different look behind Davis.

Two other injured big men, combo forward Jarred Vanderbilt and power forward/center Christian Wood, other two more unique frontcourt dimensions for L.A. off the bench. Vanderbilt can't really play much small ball center (though Rui Hachimura can), but he's a solid perimeter defender capably of guarding point guards through power forwards, during the regular season at least. Wood is a solid 3-point shooter (outside of an anomalous run last year in L.A.), and could be a nice stretch option for the team.

As a two-way player, Koloko is currently limited to just 50 games with Los Angeles proper, as he's toggled between the Lakers and their El Segundo-based G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. If he impresses, he could earn a promotion to the team's standard roster. But since all 15 roster spots are currently occupied, Pelinka and co. would need to make a corresponding move to free up space.

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