Former Toronto Raptors player Christian Koloko is set to make a comeback in the NBA, as he has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Shams Charania. However, Koloko still needs clearance from the league’s Fitness-to-Play Panel before he can officially sign a two-way contract with the Lakers, as reported by Dan Woike.
Koloko was a second-round pick in 2022 and played 58 games with the Raptors during his first stint in the league. Although he showed promise on defense, he was waived by the team in January as part of a trade deal involving Pascal Siakam.
The decision to waive Koloko came as a surprise until it was revealed that he had been referred to the Fitness-to-Play Panel due to potentially career-ending blood clots. As a result, he was unable to play or practice until receiving clearance. With uncertainty surrounding his status, the Raptors decided to move on from him. While Koloko has not yet been given permission to participate, he is allowed to sign with another team.
If cleared by the panel, Koloko will join the Lakers who are in need of depth in their frontcourt. Apart from Anthony Davis, their options include Jaxson Hayes, Christian Wood, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt. However, Hayes is currently their only true center and injuries have affected Wood and Hachimura’s availability for training camp.
signing Koloko would be a low-risk but potentially high-reward move for the Lakers considering their need for help in their frontcourt and Davis’ desire for another big man on his team.
