Lakers sign Christian Koloko

The Lakers and Free Agent Big Man Christian Koloko have agreed to a contract, Agent Calvin Andrews says Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Charania did not provide any information on what type of contract Koloko will sign with the Lakers, but said the former Arizona star is expected to compete for minutes in the frontcourt.

Koloko is on his way back after missing the entire 2023-24 season due to a blood clot issue. Sportsnet's Blake Murphy reported in July that the 7-foot-4 player had been medically cleared to play again, while Andrews said last month that his client had had a “major breakthrough” in his blood clot issue, which was fixed with corrective surgery.

Although Koloko is still awaiting formal clearance from the NBA's Fitness to Play panel, he appears to continue to progress in the right direction. And according to Charania, the 24-year-old is technically eligible to sign with a team before he is cleared by that panel.

The Clippers, the Spurs and his former team, the Raptors, are also interested in signing Koloko, as Charania reported on Friday evening.

Koloko, the 33rd pick in the 2022 draft, appeared in 58 games for Toronto as a rookie, averaging 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 blocks in 13.8 minutes per game in 58 appearances (19 starts). In his final college season in Arizona in 2021-22, he was the Pac 12 Defensive Player of the Year and the Most Improved Player.

The Lakers have to do without their center Christian Wood this fall after the big man recently underwent knee surgery that is expected to keep him out of action for at least eight weeks, so they could use more depth on offense. However, Los Angeles currently has 15 players on fully guaranteed standard contracts and is operating just below the second tax threshold.

It is unclear if the Lakers plan to sign Koloko to a standard contract or perhaps sign him to a two-way contract. To sign him to a two-way contract, one of the Armel Traore, Blake Hinsonor Colin Castletonwho currently occupy LA's two-way slots.