Newest Laker’s Free Agent Contract Terms Revealed: Report

How the Purple and Gold's newest addition slots in for Los Angeles.

Dec 12, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; A of the logo of the Los Angeles Lakers 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

A scant two weeks ahead of training camp, the Los Angeles Lakers made a late, relatively minor, change to their personnel.

L.A. is reportedly inking a new addition to its roster, bringing in 7-foot-1 center Christian Koloko, the former No. 33 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. The exact nature of the deal wasn't known when the agreement was first reported on Saturday. Prior to the deal, all 15 of the Lakers' standard roster spots had been occupied, as were all three of the club's two-way deals.

Now, we may know where Koloko slots in.

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According to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times, Koloko is being added via a two-way contract, meaning one of Blake Hinson, Armel Traore or Colin Castleton will be waived to make room for the new addition. Given that Castleton is the only center among that group, he appears likely to be the most vulnerable.

Koloko's signing comes with a rather big caveat.

A former Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year at Arizona, Koloko had a limited first NBA season with the Toronto Raptors. He averaged 3.1 points on 48 percent shooting from the floor and 62.7 percent shooting from the charity stripe, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks across 58 contests (19 starts). A blood clot problem prevented him from suiting up for all of 2023-24. Toronto cut him in January.

Woike cautions, though Koloko has been given medical clearance, he still needs to be given the green light from the NBA's Fitness-to-Play panel before he's able to partake in work with the Lakers. Woike notes that Koloko already exhibited enticing flashes as a defensive menace around the rim during his lone NBA season so far in Toronto.

The Lakers will be without reserve center Christian Wood for at least the start of the 2024-25 season, as he recuperates from an left knee arthroscopic surgical procedure, and will be reassessed by team doctors in eight weeks. L.A.'s other backup five, former lottery pick Jaxson Hayes, has yet to blossom on either end of the hardwood. Koloko could, for a limited time, give the Lakers some relief on the block whenever three-time All-Defensive First Team center Anthony Davis takes a seat. Koloko is still raw at 24, but he is the kind of intriguing athletic prospect well worth a flier.

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