Lakers linked to former Arizona standout
The Los Angeles Lakers appear to be in the market for some additional frontcourt depth.
The Lakers are said to be “frontrunners” to sign Arizona alum Christian Koloko, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Clippers are also among the teams interested interested in Koloko.
7-footer Christian Koloko is finalizing a return to the NBA and the Los Angeles Lakers are frontrunners to sign him among Raptors, Clippers and Spurs, sources tell @TheAthletic. Koloko is awaiting clearance to play from NBA’s fitness panel; however, he is eligible to sign now. pic.twitter.com/9kgzrRZ3qX
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 14, 2024
Koloko was diagnosed with a blood clot issue earlier this year, which prevented him from playing a single game during the 2023-24 campaign. But Koloko is now on the verge of being medically cleared by the NBA’s fitness panel.
The 22-year-old was waived by the Raptors in January.
Koloko could potentially be a diamond in the rough for the Lakers, who haven’t had reliable big man depth behind Anthony Davis in quite some time. The news comes just days after the Lakers announced that one of their backup bigs will be sidelined to begin the year.
Koloko showed some promise in limited minutes as a rookie, particularly on the defensive end. The 7’1″ center averaged 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 13.8 minutes per game during the 2022-23 campaign.
