Whereas the Los Angeles Lakers’ post-All-Star break loss to the Charlotte Hornets drew consideration on Wednesday evening, the entrance workplace quietly made a transfer that might have roster implications because the season progresses.
The Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, introduced the acquisition of ahead Cole Swider in a commerce with the Motor Metropolis Cruise, the Detroit Pistons’ affiliate, via Sports Illustrated. In alternate, South Bay despatched the returning participant rights to ahead Chris Silva and a 2025 first-round draft decide.
Swider is a well-recognized identify for Lakers followers, having spent his rookie season with the staff on a two-way contract in 2022-23 after going undrafted within the 2022 NBA Draft. A extremely regarded sharpshooter out of Villanova and Syracuse, he was seen as an intriguing prospect however struggled to carve out a task on the NBA stage. Swider primarily performed within the G League earlier than being waived on the finish of the season.
Since then, the 6-foot-8 ahead has signed two-way offers with the Miami Warmth and Detroit Pistons, although NBA alternatives have remained scarce. Nevertheless, within the G League, Swider has developed right into a prolific scorer.
Throughout 72 profession video games, he has averaged 19.8 factors, 5.7 rebounds and a couple of.2 assists whereas taking pictures a powerful 44.8 % from past the arc. He has reached double figures in 64 video games, posted 20 or extra factors 39 instances, and notched 10 performances of 30-plus factors.
This season, Swider has continued his sturdy play, averaging 20.9 factors throughout 18 video games for the Cruise whereas taking pictures 44.1 % from deep on 10.3 makes an attempt per recreation.
The Lakers have now added one of many G League’s prime shooters to their ranks, becoming a member of the current acquisition of former Laker Stanley Johnson. With South Bay struggling at 5-13 and sitting 14th within the Western Convention, the transfer alerts an effort to reverse their fortunes whereas maintaining a tally of strengthening the NBA roster.
At 25, Swider nonetheless possesses invaluable upside, notably as a floor-spacer—an attribute that has at all times been invaluable on LeBron James-led groups. With the Lakers just lately including Luka Doncic to their playmaking core, Swider might discover himself in line for one more NBA alternative, doubtlessly on a two-way deal.
