Lakers to sign ex-Raptors big man who had blood-clot issue

The Lakers and free-agent big man Christian Koloko have agreed to a contract, agent Calvin Andrews told Shams Charania of The Athletic (X link).

Charania didn't specify what type of contract Koloko will sign with the Lakers but said the former Arizona star is expected to compete for frontcourt minutes.

Koloko is on the comeback trail after missing the entire 2023-24 season due to a blood-clot issue. Sportsnet’s Blake Murphy reported in July that the seven-footer had received medical clearance to resume playing, while Andrews said last month that his client had a “major breakthrough” with his blood-clot issue, which was addressed via corrective surgery.

Although Koloko is still awaiting formal clearance from the NBA’s Fitness-to-Play panel, it sounds like he continues to trend in the right direction. And according to Charania, the 24-year-old is technically eligible to sign with a team before being cleared by that panel.

The Clippers, the Spurs, and his former team, the Raptors, were also interested in signing Koloko, as Charania reported on Friday night.

The 33rd overall pick in the 2022 draft, Koloko appeared in 58 games for Toronto as a rookie, averaging 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks in 13.8 minutes per game across 58 appearances (19 starts). He was the Pac-12’s Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player in his final college season at Arizona in 2021-22.

The Lakers will be without center Christian Wood this fall after the big man recently underwent knee surgery, which is expected to sideline him for at least eight weeks, so they could use more depth up front. However, Los Angeles is currently carrying 15 players on fully guaranteed standard contracts and is narrowly operating below the second tax apron.

It’s unclear if the Lakers’ plan would be to sign Koloko to a standard deal or perhaps to bring him on a two-way contract. Inking him to a two-way pact would require waiving one of Armel Traore, Blake Hinson or Colin Castleton, who currently occupy L.A.’s two-way slots.