Lakers, Christian Koloko reportedly agree to deal

The Lakers and 7-foot big man Christian Koloko have agreed to terms on a contract, Koloko’s agent told The Athletic’s Shams Charania on Saturday afternoon.

While terms of the deal weren’t revealed as of Saturday, Koloko is expected to sign a two-way contract with the Lakers, according to the L.A. Times.

The Lakers already have 15 players signed to standard NBA contracts, which is the maximum teams are allowed during the season.

In order to sign Koloko to a two-way contract, the Lakers will need to waive one of the three players they already have signed to two-way deals – Colin Castleton, Blake Hinson and Armel Traore.

For the Lakers, the addition of Koloko could bolster a big man rotation that already took a hit before the season started.

Anthony Davis, who’s coming off an All-NBA second team selection, and Jaxson Hayes are the lone healthy big men signed to standard deals entering training camp.

Christian Wood had arthroscopic left knee surgery earlier in the week, his second left knee procedure in the last six months, which is expected to keep him sidelined until at least early November.

Koloko, a Sierra Canyon alum and the No. 33 pick in the 2022 draft, started his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors, averaging 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and a blocked shot in 13.8 minutes per game (58 games, 19 starts) in 2022-23.

After Koloko didn’t play in 2023 summer league or for Toronto to start the 2023-24 season, the Raptors waived him Jan. 17 in order to complete the blockbuster trade that sent former franchise cornerstone Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers as part of a three-team deal with the New Orleans Pelicans.

It was later revealed that Koloko was referred to the league’s Fitness-to-Play Panel because of blood clot issues, making him ineligible to play or practice in the NBA until he’s been cleared.

A panel of physicians, referred to as the Fitness-to-Play Panel in the league’s collective bargaining agreement, determine whether players with potentially life-threatening injuries, illnesses or other medical conditions are medically able and fit to practice and play basketball in the NBA. According to the CBA, each Fitness-to-Play Panel consists of: “one physician appointed by the NBA, one physician appointed by the Players Association and one physician appointed by agreement of the first two physicians.”

Koloko, a native of Douala, Cameroon, moved to the U.S. in 2017, playing at Birmingham High in Van Nuys before transferring to Sierra Canyon.

He played collegiately at Arizona for three seasons (2019-22), averaging 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots his junior season. en route to winning the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, before becoming a second-round pick in 2022.