The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard/forward Dylan Windler to a two-way contract, it was announced on Saturday by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.
Windler will wear jersey No. 20, according to the Lakers.
The Lakers opened up two two-way roster spots earlier in the day when they waived both guard D’Moi Hodge and forward Alex Fudge. The Lakers have not yet signed another player to a two-way contract, so they will have an open spot if they want to add someone at some point this season.
Windler was originally drafted with the 26th overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2019 out of Belmont. He has appeared in 87 career NBA games with the Cavaliers and New York Knicks, although he has played very limited minutes and only averaged 3.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists while shooting 41.6% from the field and 32.5% from 3-point range.
The 27-year-old began this season in the G League with the Westchester Knicks, averaging 13.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 28.9 minutes in 13 games. He is coming off a record-breaking 23-point, 33-rebound performance on Friday night, which landed him this contract with the Lakers
Windler has appeared in 26 career NBA G League games (15 starts) across four seasons (2019-24), averaging 13.3 points on 37.8 percent shooting from long distance, to go with 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 27.8 minutes.
With the Lakers in dire need of some outside shooting, the hope is that Windler will be able to provide some of that if he gets an opportunity.
Lakers scouted Dylan Windler in college
Windler is a player that Pelinka and the Lakers are very familiar with as they scouted him all the way back in his college days when he played against Ja Morant.
He wound up going in the first round the same year the Lakers traded into the second round to draft Talen Horton-Tucker.
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