On Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers were reportedly in the process of signing power forward Drew Timme to a two-way contract. Timme plays for the Lakers’ G League affiliate, South Bay Lakers, and was recently named the G League Player of the Week after averaging 30 points, seven rebounds and 4.7 assists a game during that week.
The Lakers, however, didn’t have an open two-way contract spot for him. Each NBA team is allowed to have just three players signed to a two-way contract at any given time, and center Christian Koloko, guard Chris Mañon and guard Nick Smith Jr. have been on two-way contracts for Los Angeles this season.
The team will be waiving Koloko in order to convert Timme’s deal to a two-way deal, per Shams Charania of ESPN.
Koloko was originally brought in by Los Angeles during the summer of 2024. He had been a second-round draft pick in 2022, but he was forced to miss all of the 2023-24 season due to a blood clot issue.
He has averaged 2.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.4 blocks in 8.9 minutes a game since joining the team. But he has failed to show any significant growth, and the team could use another backup center who gets results, especially after starting 5 Deandre Ayton was forced to leave Sunday’s game against the Utah Jazz with a knee contusion.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers are cutting a player to create room for Drew Timme two-way deal
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
