Lakers sign center Christian Koloko to a two-way deal.
On Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers added free agent center Christian Koloko to their roster with a two-way contract, boosting their frontcourt depth and taking on the 7-foot-1 player as a developmental prospect. To make room for Koloko, the Lakers waived forward Blake Hinson, opening up their third two-way spot. Colin Castleton and 6-foot-9 forward Armel Traore hold the other two-way contracts.
Koloko, selected as the No. 33 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors, missed the entire previous season due to a blood clot issue. He still needs approval from the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel—which includes an NBA-appointed doctor, a players union-appointed doctor, and a mutually agreed-upon third doctor—before he can participate in games for the Lakers. However, the Lakers are optimistic about Koloko’s prospects this season following their independent evaluation of his condition.
In his only season with the Raptors, Koloko averaged 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game over 13.8 minutes. At the University of Arizona, he averaged 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game and was named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
In other news, the Cleveland Cavaliers have signed restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro to a three-year, $38 million deal. Okoro, the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, was the last restricted free agent available and his new contract was finalized just before training camp begins. This signing concludes a busy summer for the Cavaliers, who also extended contracts for Donovan Mitchell (three years, $150 million), Evan Mobley (five years, $224 million), and Jarrett Allen (three years, $91 million), and hired Kenny Atkinson as head coach.
Okoro, a 6-foot-5 forward, averaged 9.4 points and a career-high 39.1% shooting from beyond the arc last season, playing in 69 games with 42 starts. He will play a significant role off the bench for the Cavaliers, providing depth on the wing and serving as the team’s top perimeter defender. The Cavaliers aim to build on their success from the past two seasons, including advancing to the playoffs’ second round for the first time since 2018 without LeBron James on the roster.
