Jul 5, 2022; San Francisco, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) sits on the bench with forward Shareef ONeal (45) and guard Max Christie (10) and forward Cole Swider (21) during the fourth quarter against the Sacramento Kings at the California Summer League at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Former Lakers Sharpshooter Signs With Surprise Team

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Ricardo Klein | Last updated Aug 8, 2025 4:30 PM ET

Former Los Angeles Lakers sharpshooting forward Cole Swider has found a new home.

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Swider will take his talents overseas, signing a deal with the Turkish club Anadolu Efes.

NBA insider Marc Stein was among the first to report the news.

Sharpshooter Cole Swider is nearing a deal with Anadolu Efes in Türkiye, sources tell @TheSteinLine.

After stints with the Lakers, Heat, Pistons and Raptors, Swider is poised to join the growing number of NBAers moving to the EuroLeague and play for ex-Suns coach Igor Kokoškov. pic.twitter.com/EUs3xniooj
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 8, 2025

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Swider started his career with the Lakers after going undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Syracuse. The 26-year-old signed a two-way contract with LA in the summer of 2022.

He split his time with the Lakers and their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. In one season as a Laker during the 2023-24 season, Swider played in only seven games.

In those contests, he averaged 1.3 points per game, 1.0 rebounds and 0.6 assists while shooting 33.3 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc in 5.9 minutes of action.

Swider spent most of his time with the G League squad. After the 2022-23 season, Swider was waived by the Lakeers in late July 2023.

A few weeks later, Swider signed with the Miami Heat and his deal was eventually converted to a two-way contract. Last offseason, Swider signed with the Indiana Pacers but was waived prior to the start of the 2024-25 season.

In mid-February, Swider was acquired by the South Bay Lakers once again via a trade with the Motor City Crusaders, the Detroit Pistons G League affiliate.

Swider finished the 2025 season with the Toronto Raptors, signing a 10-day contract with the club. In eight games with the Raptors, Swider averaged 7.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.3 assists.

The Raptors waived him on April 10.

This past summer, Swider joined the Lakers organization once again and played for their Summer League club. His best game for the Lakers Summer League came in the opener against the Dallas Mavericks.

In the contest, Swider recorded 22 points, hitting 6 of his 9 3-point attempts, while adding 10 rebounds and going 4-of-6 from the free throw line. The Lakers lost that contest, 87-85.

In three NBA seasons, Swider has averaged 3.1 points per game, 2.7 rebounds and 0.3 assists while shooting 34.9 percent from the field and 31.9 percent from beyond the arc in 35 games and 8.5 minutes of action.