Lakers preparing to sign center Christian Koloko to two-way contract

The Lakers are expected to agree to a two-way deal with center Christian Koloko, bolstering their frontcourt in the wake of Christian Wood‘s latest knee operation, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.

Koloko, 24, was the No. 33 pick in the 2022 NBA draft but missed all of last season because of issues related to blood clots. He still needs to be cleared by the NBA’s Fitness-to-Play Panel, a group of doctors who will determine whether Koloko can return to on-court participation.

The Lakers roster is at capacity with 15 players. It’s expected that they will release one of the three players they have on two-way contracts to create room for Koloko.

When he was on the court as a rookie with the Toronto Raptors, Koloko flashed immense defensive potential. A 7-foot-1 center with a 7-5 wingspan, he averaged one blocked shot in 13.8 minutes a game. The Raptors waived him last January to open a roster space after completing a trade with Indiana.

Players who have not been cleared by the NBA’s medical panel, according to people with knowledge of the matter, are eligible to sign with teams. However, those signings need to be reviewed by the NBA.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.