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Dave McMenamin, ESPN Staff Writer
The Los Angeles Lakers signed free agent center Christian Koloko to a two-way contract Monday, giving the team additional frontcourt depth while taking on the 7-foot-1 prospect as a developmental project.
L.A. waived forward Blake Hinson to open up its third two-way slot to acquire Koloko, sources told ESPN. Center Colin Castleton and 6-foot-9 forward Armel Traore occupy the other two-way positions.
Koloko, the No. 33 pick in the 2022 NBA draft by the Toronto Raptors, missed all of last season with a blood clot issue and will still need to be cleared by the league’s “fitness-to-play panel” consisting of an NBA-appointed doctor, a players union-appointed doctor and a mutually agreed upon third doctor before he could participate in basketball activities for L.A.
The Lakers have conducted an independent assessment of the 24-year-old Koloko’s condition and have reason for optimism that he will be able to play this season, sources told ESPN.
In Koloko’s lone season with the Raptors, he averaged 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.0 block in 13.8 minutes per game. He capped three seasons at the University of Arizona by averaging 12.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks while being named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.