Full Details On Cole Swider's Contract With His New Team

Not only has former 2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers two-way forward Cole Swider been squeezed out of LA's two-way contract signing plans, he has also been forced to compete for a roster spot with his new team.

Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald reports that the 6'9" Syracuse product has reached a verbal agreement on an Exhibit 10 training camp contract with the Miami Heat. Because Miami is carrying just 13 players signed to deals on its standard 15-man roster, the team is actually prohibited from officially inking any Exhibit 10 deals until it adds a 14th man.

The Lakers waived Swider on July 26 to make room for former Florida wing Alex Fudge. Fudge joined ex-Gators teammate Colin Castleton and Missouri shooting guard D'Moi Hodge to round LA's three two-way slots heading into the 2023-24 NBA season.

Miami does have one two-way slot available still, though it did issue a qualifying offer to incumbent two-way player Jamal Cain, meaning they have his two-way rights and would need to relinquish them to add another two-way player.

Swider actually enjoyed a solid second Summer League run with LA in Las Vegas. Across five contests, he averaged 15.2 points on 45.6% shooting from the floor (and 42.5% from deep on eight triple tries a night), plus 5.6 boards a night.

Chiang notes that Swider could theoretically fulfill a need for a size- and spacing-challenged Miami team that just lost two of its better volume shooters in Gabe Vincent (now with your Lakers) and Max Strus (now on the Cleveland Cavaliers).

Swider may have his work cut out for him to actually make that two-way spot, as another 6'9" undrafted forward, USC alum Drew Peterson, has also reportedly agreed to a verbal commitment on a training camp deal with the Heat.