Ex-Lakers youngster signs with top NBA contender

After spending last season learning from LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers, one young player is now headed to James’s former team.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Sunday that ex-Lakers swingman Cole Swider is signing with the Miami Heat. Swider was a free agent after being waived by the Lakers late last month.

The 24-year-old Swider spent his rookie season in 2022-23 on a two-way deal with the Lakers. While he only made seven total appearances in the NBA, Lakers fans had high hopes for Swider, who had 17.1 points per game on a scorching 43.8 percent from 3 in 27 G League games. Swider’s Lakers tenure is also remembered for an incredible story that he told about LeBron.

Miami, the reigning Eastern Conference champions, lost Max Strus in free agency this summer and could still gut their roster further in a potential Damian Lillard trade. Adding the 6-foot-9 Swider is a cheap and low-risk way of adding some size and some shooting. It may also be a bit of revenge against the Lakers, who stole away a key player from Miami this offseason.