Cole Swider

Heat Notes: Swider, Preseason, Adebayo, Bryant

October 12th, 2023 at 8:05pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Heat forward Cole Swider is making a case for the team’s open roster spot, earning buzz in training camp and then scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter of Miami’s preseason game against the Hornets on Tuesday. He’s aiming to be the next in a long line of undrafted success stories for the organization, following players like Duncan Robinson, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus.

Swider attributes some of his success in the NBA so far to Robinson, in particular, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. When Swider signed his two-way deal with the Lakers following the 2022 draft, Chiang writes, one of the first people he texted was Robinson.

“I hit him up and I said, ‘Hey, man. I just want to say thank you,’” Swider said. “Because [Lakers general manager] Rob Pelinka had mentioned he passed up on Duncan in the pre-draft process and he didn’t want to let that happen again. So that was part of the reason that I got the two-way. So I just texted Duncan and I said, ‘Thank you.’”

As Chiang writes, Robinson and Swider have followed similar career paths. Both players are shooters with size (Swider is 6’8″ and Robinson and 6’9″), both have their own podcasts, and both grew up in the New England area.

“Duncan has been a great role model to me,” Swider said. “He’s obviously made it in this league. He’s made a lot of money in this league. He’s played in two NBA Finals and has gone on deep, deep playoff runs. So he’s been a great mentor to me and I’m going to keep picking his brain.”

Robinson is looking to pass the baton and help turn Swider into a Heat rotation staple, according to Chiang, who notes that Robinson credited former teammates Wayne Ellington, James Johnson and Ryan Anderson as some veterans who helped him get acclimated to the team.

We have more notes from the Heat:

Almost all of Miami’s rotation regulars will miss Friday’s preseason tilt against the Spurs, Chiang writes in another piece. Only Thomas Bryant, Duncan Robinson, Orlando Robinson and Haywood Highsmith from the standard roster will travel, with the rest of the rotation fleshed out by the team’s Exhibit 10 and two-way players. This will give the Heat an opportunity to gather more information for their upcoming roster decisions, with players like Justin Champagnie and Alondes Williams among those looking to crack the team, Chiang notes. “They’ve been working their tails off, and I want to reward those guys for the work they’ve been putting in,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “They’ve earned these minutes. We also want to evaluate them.“
Spoelstra was disappointed that Bam Adebayo didn’t receive more recognition on this year’s preseason survey of general managers. Adebayo did not receive a single vote for best defensive player in the NBA, but did receive the third-most votes for most versatile defender in the league, Chiang says in another Herald article. However, Adebayo brushed off the lack of votes in his favor. “They’re just mad because I be locking up their best player. That’s all that is,” Adebayo said.
The Heat have cycled through backup center options for Adebayo in recent seasons, including Cody Zeller and Dewayne Dedmon. Bryant is the next attempt at finding a viable backup for Adebayo, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel opines. The big man posted 15 points and eight rebounds on Tuesday in the preseason, providing optimism that he could be a suitable piece for Miami, Winderman writes. “We’re all encouraged by it,” Spoelstra said. “He has a physical presence in the paint. But he has exceptional touch, as well. … He’s got a variety of different kinds of jump hooks or finishes at the rim. He’s been historically a very good finisher in the paint, so it’s not something new.“

Heat Notes: Adebayo, Hampton, Swider, Jaquez

October 11th, 2023 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra had another impressive showing in John Schuhmann’s annual general manager poll, earning 73% of the GMs’ votes for best head coach in the NBA. However, when he was asked about that survey during a media session on Tuesday, Spoelstra ended up bemoaning the fact that Bam Adebayo didn’t receive a single vote as the league’s best defensive player.

“That one is just unbelievable to me,” Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). “I think Bam is the best defensive player in the league and I just can’t understand why he’s not recognized for how impactful he is on that end of the court. So he’s just going to have to prove it again and just do it this year until everybody notices.”

While Spoelstra acknowledged that the pursuit of certain individual awards can interfere with team success, he suggested that Defensive Player of the Year – which Adebayo has talked about wanting to win – is “a good award to go for.”

“I think he just has to be who he is, do what he does and just be that dynamic force on that end of the court,” Spoelstra said. “Then I think he’s going to get recognized for that and hopefully we’ll have a great defense this year and he leads us on that end of the court.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

In a notebook column for The Miami Herald, Barry Jackson explores whether Thomas Bryant has the right skill set to share the court with Adebayo, notes that Kevin Love has no preference between starting or coming off the bench, and relays Spoelstra’s comments on camp invitee R.J. Hampton. “(He’s) an out-of-this-world athlete,” Spoelstra said of Hampton, adding that he led the Heat in deflections and steals during training camp. “But he has to find a template to find immediate success in a role.”
Cole Swider‘s impressive fall continued on Tuesday as he poured in five three-pointers in the Heat’s preseason opener. While the camp invitee has made a good case for a promotion to a standard contract or two-way deal, he’s not taking anything for granted, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required). “I mean, I’m not on a contract, still,” Swider said. “You know what I mean? There’s nothing to be really excited about. … I just want to keep on stacking one day at a time, keeping on trying to help myself and help this team get to a point where I’m in the rotation and helping this team win.”
Coming off a strong preseason debut in which he scored 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting, Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez strained his left groin during Wednesday’s practice, tweets Winderman. The severity of the injury isn’t yet known, but the team will likely be in no hurry to get Jaquez back on the court.
While it may not have been ideal for young players like Jaquez and Nikola Jovic to have their names bandied about in trade rumors all summer, Spoelstra believes there’s a silver lining, according to Winderman (subscription required). “It’s not easy for young players to have their names thrown out there in the media. It’s just happening more and more each year, it seems like. And it’s not exclusive to us. I think it’s just league-wide, so you have to learn how to manage all of that,” Spoelstra said. “… And I think that’s a good thing for young players to experience early on — all the different components of being a professional basketball player.”

Heat Notes: Camp Standouts, Swider, Martin, More

October 8th, 2023 at 3:57pm CST by Luke Adams

As we outlined on Saturday, the Heat are one of four NBA teams currently carrying fewer than 14 players on standard contracts, meaning they could end up promoting one of their Exhibit 10 camp invitees or two-way players to the regular season roster.

So which of those players has made the strongest impression in training camp? When posed that question, Heat star Bam Adebayo singled out forward Cole Swider, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

“Cole is really, really showing he can really shoot the ball,” Adebayo said. “He can play on different types of teams. He can play with the young fellas, he also can play with Kyle Lowry and Kevin Love and be under control and learn how to flow in the offense.”

Head coach Erik Spoelstra also mentioned Swider as a camp invitee who has impressed. Dru Smith and R.J. Hampton, who are both on two-way deals, have been among the camp standouts too, according to Spoelstra.

Justin Champagnie, Drew Peterson, Alondes Williams, and Cheick Diallo are also on Exhibit 10 contracts, while Jamal Cain is Miami’s other two-way player.

Here’s more on the Heat:

In breaking down the potential regular season roster scenarios for the Heat, Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel points out that carrying a 15th man would push team salary above the second tax apron. As such, the Heat are likely to open the season with just 14 players on standard contracts, but as long as they leave a 15-man spot open, they won’t be able to maximize their games for players on two-way contracts, Winderman notes. As we explain in our glossary entry, a team that isn’t carrying a full 15-man roster is limited to 90 total games for two-way players instead of 150 (50 per player).
Heat forward Caleb Martin doesn’t mind if he ends up as a starter or a reserve, though he admitted that he finds it easier to get into a rhythm if he has a set role rather than toggling back and forth, according to Chiang and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “The more I knew what I was going [to do role-wise going] into each game, that helped me a lot,” Martin said of how he was used last year.
Spoelstra was pleased with how the Heat’s training camp went this week, telling reporters that the team “got a lot accomplished” and that he likes the mix of returning players and newcomers on the roster, Winderman writes for The Sun Sentinel (subscription required). Spoelstra added that he feels good about the roster despite the offseason departures of Max Strus and Gabe Vincent. “I think we have, it just feels like we have more depth,” he said. “And it might be because it’s more functional positional depth, at specific positions.”

Heat Notes: Herro, Lowry, Roster, Swider

October 3rd, 2023 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

While Tyler Herro recognized that the Heat had every right to trade him this summer, he admitted on Monday that the uncertainty of his situation wasn’t easy to deal with throughout the offseason, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

“There was a little bit of frustration,” Herro told reporters. “But at the end of the day, it’s a business. I understand that. I would just like some clarity. I feel like I’ve gained enough respect around here to know what’s going on a little bit, whether my name is involved or not. That’s really it. I want to be involved. I feel like I gained the respect and I put the work in.”

Herro has seen his name pop up in trade speculation multiple times since arriving in the NBA in 2019, but said this year’s rumors felt “more real” than past ones. He went on to say that he simply wants to play where he’s wanted and that he understands why Miami might have considered moving him in a package for Damian Lillard.

“I don’t think I’m not wanted here. There’s a great player who was on the market at the time,” Herro said. “Whatever happens happened and we’re now in this situation. I’m excited to be back and ready to play. Like I said, I’ll play here or somewhere else. It doesn’t matter to me.”

Appearing later on ESPN 106.3 FM (Twitter video link via Clutch Points), Herro addressed the offseason reports suggesting the Trail Blazers didn’t have much interest in him, offering a spicier take when asked if he’s excited to face the Blazers this season.

“I’m ready to just play (against) the best,” Herro said. “Portland ain’t the best, so I’m not really worried about Portland.”

Here’s more on Herro and the Heat:

Although Herro was activated for Game 5 of the NBA Finals in June, he said on Monday that he wasn’t actually healthy enough to return from his broken hand until about a month after the Heat’s season ended, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Kyle Lowry was moved to the bench during the second half of the 2022/23 season, but with Gabe Vincent no longer in Miami, he expects to returning to the starting five this fall, according to Winderman. “I don’t expect to come off the bench,” Lowry said on Tuesday, noting that he feels great physically. “… I’ll do whatever it takes for my team to win basketball games, but I expect to be the starting point guard.”
Asked about Lowry’s assertion, head coach Erik Spoelstra was noncommittal, indicating that he hasn’t made a decision yet: “That’s what camp’s for. That’s what preseason’s for. And I love that Kyle thinks that way. A lot of guys are thinking that way and we’ll figure out the best lineup.”
While a segment of the Heat fanbase is clamoring for a roster move after the team missed out on Lillard and Jrue Holiday, Spoelstra said on Monday that he likes the current group and isn’t looking to make changes, per Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
The Heat’s impressive track record of developing undrafted prospects swayed Cole Swider when he became a free agent this summer and was considering his options, Jackson writes for The Herald. “The biggest thing everyone has told me about coming to the Heat [is] every person in the building has scouted [you] at a very high level,” Swider said. “There’s a reason you’re in the building. Maybe some other teams are bringing you in on their G League team or giving you a quick look and ship you somewhere else.” Swider is currently on an Exhibit 10 contract, but could be a candidate for a conversion to a two-way deal if he impresses in camp.

Heat Notes: Swider, Richardson, Butler, Lowry

September 17th, 2023 at 10:30am CST by Arthur Hill

Cole Swider is hoping to be the Heat‘s next success story in player development, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Miami has shown a knack for finding useful players who have gone undrafted, many of whom are coming off opportunities with other teams. Swider wants to put his name on that list with Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Duncan Robinson, Orlando Robinson and others.

“It was a big part of my decision-making process,” Swider said. “There were a lot of teams that were interested. And a lot of ’em were interested in the same thing the Heat were interested in, an Exhibit 10 (tryout contract) and the opportunity to earn a two-way or a roster spot. But the success with the Heat with those guys gave me an easy decision, in terms of they’re going to give you a real opportunity in training camp, they’re going to give you real opportunities to get on the floor and play through mistakes and make the team.”

Swider, a 24-year-old small forward, signed a two-way contract with the Lakers after going undrafted out of Syracuse in 2022. He saw minimal playing time in seven games with L.A., spending most of the season in the G League.

Another reason Swider decided to go to Miami was the team’s need for outside shooting after losing Strus and Vincent in free agency. Swider is a shooting specialist, connecting at 50.6% from the field and 43.6% from beyond the arc in 27 G League games last season.

“Because of the type of guys like me in the past, they know how to use guys like me,” he said. “When I do something in pickup that looks like Duncan or Max or Gabe, they know how to use me in a game. It’s not like, ‘Oh, this only works in pickup.’”

There’s more from Miami:

Josh Richardson has aged well throughout his NBA career and should be a reliable rotation player this season, Winderman states in a mailbag column. Richardson, who was drafted by the Heat in 2015, returned to the organization this summer after playing for five teams in the last four years. Winderman notes that he relies on intelligence as much as speed and athleticism and has remained productive at age 30.
Jimmy Butler falls just short of the NBA’s exceptions in its new Player Participation Policy, but his medical history may give the Heat more opportunity to rest him, Winderman adds in another piece. Teams can petition the league to sit out players in back-to-back games if they’re at least 35 years old or have logged more than 34,000 career minutes or 1,000 total games in the regular season and playoffs. Butler is 34 with 29,513 minutes in 873 games, but his history of knee issues may qualify him to get approval under the PPP’s injury provision.
NBA Twitter was buzzing Saturday night when Heat guard Kyle Lowry was spotted alongside Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups at the Colorado-Colorado State football game (video link). Lowry is among the players who may be headed to Portland if the teams can agree on a Damian Lillard trade.

Heat Notes: Richardson, Bryant, Swider, Bouyea, Lillard

August 25th, 2023 at 7:53am CST by Luke Adams

After briefly discussing the Heat‘s offseason moves during an ESPN interview last week, head coach Erik Spoelstra went into more detail while taking part in a Zoom call with reporters on Wednesday. As Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald writes, Spoelstra is looking forward to having former Heat wing Josh Richardson back on the roster in 2023/24.

“To be able to get somebody like J-Rich, who we are all really comfortable with, who we spent so many hours and years spending time developing him and where he feels also comfortable in our system and how we operate, we just feel very fortunate that we were able to get him when we were able to get him,” Spoelstra said.

“He’s already been in the gym working and it’s almost like, I mentioned to him the last time I saw him in the gym, it’s like the time away never happened. The relationship just started off right where we left it. That’s when you know you have strong relationships back and forth from our standpoint and his standpoint. Also, his versatility is going to be super important. His ability to play multiple positions.”

Here are a few more notes on the Heat, including Spoelstra’s thoughts on some of the team’s other recent additions:

According to Spoelstra, newly added center Thomas Bryant is a player the Heat have had their eye on for several years. They worked him out prior to the 2017 draft and were fans of the big man at the time. “His time with (the Lakers last season), I thought was really important,” Spoelstra said of Bryant. “You could see how he could be effective in our system and how he can play with multiple guys. He’s big, he’s physical, he plays with a motor and he can also stretch the floor. So he can have a presence at the rim and in the paint, but he also can space the floor and be efficient behind the three-point line. We’re excited to be able to add him to our roster and add some depth to our frontcourt and some versatile depth.”
Spoelstra expressed enthusiasm about forward Cole Swider, who signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the team earlier this month.“He has positional size, he has exceptional three-point shooting and range and versatility with his three-point shooting,” the head coach said. “He can shoot on the move, he can also space the floor and he has the size to be able to get his shot off with great accuracy. So we’re excited to be able to add him to our mix late into the summer. We’re looking forward to developing him and working with him.” Our Tristan Tucker recently identified Swider as a candidate to eventually earn a two-way or standard deal.
Spoelstra also believes the Heat will see “bigger jumps” from Jamaree Bouyea, who remained with the club on another two-way deal. “He improved being able to run a team, get guys organized,” Spoelstra said, referring to Bouyea’s play in the G League. “And defensively and the things that he can do with his speed are just super unique. So we wanted to have an opportunity to continue his development and have a second year at it.”
Following Damian Lillard‘s public confirmation of his trade request in an interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald breaks down that interview from a Heat perspective, noting that trade talks with the Trail Blazers have been “largely dormant” for several weeks.

Four Candidates To Be Promoted From Camp Contracts

August 19th, 2023 at 9:10am CST by Tristan Tucker

Although the NBA added an additional two-way contract for every team for the 2023/24 season, teams haven’t been quick to sign players to such contracts. Only 11 of the league’s 30 teams have three players signed to two-way deals and several haven’t begun adding players to Exhibit 10 contracts.

The start of training camp is still several weeks away, so teams have plenty of time to add players to two-way and Exhibit 10 deals. However, many teams use training camp as an audition of sorts for players to earn two-way or even standard contract spots. Not earning a spot isn’t the end of the line for these players. If players signed to camp deals are waived before the ’23/24 starts, they’ll could receive a bonus worth up to $75K if they spend at least 60 days with their club’s G League affiliate.

Here are four players who have a chance to be promoted from their current Exhibit 10 contracts and onto a team’s two-way slot or standard deal.

Landers Nolley II

The Pelicans did well after the draft to reach agreements to add players on camp contracts. Nolley, Tevian Jones, Liam Robbins and Trey Jemison make up New Orleans’ reported camp deals. Any one of those players could end up on a list such as this as some of the more accomplished collegiate players who went undrafted in the 2023 draft.

Of course, Nolley may not end up on the Pels’ final camp roster, but if his reported deal is finalized, he makes perfect sense as a developmental piece for New Orleans. Nolley is a protoypical 3-and-D player, having averaged 16.8 points last season for Cincinnati while shooting 41.7% from deep.

Nolley played for New Orleans’ Summer League team this year, averaging 8.0 points and shooting 50% from deep on 4.0 attempts across five games. At 6’7″, Nolley is a good bet to at least stick around the NBA’s radar for a few seasons. The Pelicans have two open two-way contract spots, with Dereon Seabron occupying the other.

Matthew Mayer

Mayer impressed with the Rockets in Summer League, averaging 12.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks in four appearances. His showing earned him an Exhibit 10 deal with Houston, who has plenty of remaining flexibility on its training camp roster despite having three players signed to two-way deals.

Like Nolley, Mayer fits what teams look for in terms of positional archeypes, and Mayer’s ability to stretch the floor at 6’9″ is likely to be a coveted as a developmental piece. Mayer hit 33% of his 6.2 3-point attempts in college last year with Illinois and 43.5% of his 5.8 attempts from downtown in Summer League.

The Rockets have Darius Days and Trevor Hudgins signed to two-way contracts at the moment, two players who impressed en route to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers’ 2022/23 G League Finals appearance. Additionally, Jermaine Samuels currently occupies the Rockets’ third two-way roster spot. However, the Rockets have two open standard spots and could move players around, which would give Mayer a realistic shot at making their roster.

Duane Washington Jr.

Of the four players listed here, Washington is the one with the most NBA experience to his name. He has 79 NBA appearances and 10 starts to his name before his third season in the league. Washington has been on both two-way and standard contracts across his two years, playing with Indiana and Phoenix before ending up with the Knicks. Washington has averaged 9.1 points on 37.1% shooting from deep for his career.

It’s a bit surprising that Washington hasn’t caught on with a roster for the long haul with his extensive game experience and impressive counting stats. The Knicks signed Washington to a two-way deal in February but he never made an appearance with them. During the team’s roster shuffling this offseason, New York waived Washington from his two-way pact before re-adding him on a camp deal.

However, the Knicks have three players signed to two-way deals already, Nathan Knight, Dylan Windler and Jaylen Martin, the latter of which is signed for two years. It’s not impossible that New York waives or signs one of those players to their 15-man roster, but it will be an uphill battle for Washington to make New York’s roster. Look for other teams to either claim Washington or sign him at a later date.

Cole Swider

A Heat player was bound to end up on this list given their resume of turning camp guys, like Max Strus once was, into rotation NBA players. The Heat signed a bevy of players to camp contracts last week, including Justin Champagnie and Alondes Williams, two players with NBA experience, but Swider seems the most likely to make the jump to Miami’s season roster.

Swider wasn’t the most prolific collegiate player and didn’t appear on many public big boards, so it was a bit surprising to see him ink a two-year, two-way deal with the Lakers last year. However, he answered any questions in the G League with the South Bay Lakers, averaging 15.9 points and hitting 43.6% of his 7.6 deep-ball attempts in the regular season. Despite this, the Lakers waived Swider earlier this offseason.

The Heat two key sharpshooters this offseason in Strus and Gabe Vincent, while Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry, three of the team’s best shooters, have been involved in heavy speculation regarding a potential Damian Lillard trade. In any case, Miami could help replenish its stash of 3-point shooters by keeping Swider around on either a two-way or standard deal. The Heat already have three players signed to two-way deals, but they have just 13 players on standard contracts and have the flexibility to keep Swider around if they choose.

Of course, other players not listed here will likely be promoted at some point onto a team’s active roster. Additionally, players not yet signed to a team’s camp contract could also end up on a two-way or standard deal. This is just speculation, but I believe players like David Duke Jr., Trevor Keels, Louis King, Tyrese Martin, Skylar Mays and Xavier Moon, to name a few, did enough either last season in the G League or during Summer League to earn a look from a team on a camp deal.

Heat Sign Cole Swider To Camp Contract

August 11th, 2023 at 2:35pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

AUGUST 11: The Heat have officially signed Swider, the team tweets.

AUGUST 6: The Heat have reached an agreement with free agent forward Cole Swider, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Swider’s contract will be an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link).

Swider went undrafted out of Syracuse in 2022, but latched on with the Lakers for the 2022/23 season on a two-way deal.

The 24-year-old suited up for just seven games during his rookie season with Los Angeles, averaging just 5.9 MPG. Across 27 bouts with the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, Swider averaged 17.1 PPG on .506/.436/.838 shooting, along with 4.8 RPG, 1.8 APG and 0.8 SPG.

Miami has 12 players currently signed to guaranteed deals on their current 15-man standard roster, plus center Orlando Robinson inked to a non-guaranteed contract.

Heat Notes: Swider, Cain, Audige, Herro

August 7th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat have been quiet while hoping for a Damian Lillard trade to materialize, but they reached an agreement Sunday with Cole Swider on an Exhibit 10 training camp deal, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The former Lakers forward spent most of last season in the G League on a two-way contract.

Chiang hears that Swider will have a chance to compete for a two-way deal with Miami and possibly even a spot on the 15-man roster. As a 6’9″ long-range shooter, Swider could have some value for a team that lost three-point threats Max Strus and Gabe Vincent in free agency. Duncan Robinson, a similar player, may be sent elsewhere in a potential Lillard deal, Chiang adds.

Swider made a verbal commitment to the Heat, according to Chiang, but if the team intends to include Exhibit 9 language in his deal, he can’t officially sign until the team has at least 14 players with standard deals. Drew Peterson, another 6’9″ sharpshooter who played for Miami’s Summer League team, is in a similar situation.

There’s more from Miami:

With the commitments from Swider and Peterson, along with 13 standard contracts and a pair of two-way deals, the Heat have four more roster spots to fill before training camp opens, Chiang adds. One of those could go to power forward Jamal Cain, who received a qualifying offer to return to the team on a two-way contract. Cain is still searching for a standard deal, which Miami has been reluctant to offer, according to Chiang. The deadline to rescind the two-way offer passed in July, so Cain is free to accept it at any time.
The Heat also contacted Northwestern guard Chase Audige about an Exhibit 10 contract, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. However, a source tells Jackson that Audige has decided to accept an Exhibit 10 offer from another team where he believes he has a better chance to earn a roster spot.
Zach Kram of The Ringer takes an in-depth look at Tyler Herro to determine whether he’s valuable enough to be the central piece in a Lillard trade. Miami is hoping to find a third team to take Herro and increase the number of draft assets going to Portland. Kram finds that Herro is part of a star-studded group that averaged at least 20 points, five rebounds and four assists per game at age 23, but his defensive limitations put a cap on his trade value.

Lakers Sign Alex Fudge To Two-Way Deal, Waive Cole Swider

July 26th, 2023 at 4:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

4:51pm: The contract with Fudge is official, the Lakers announced (via Twitter).

4:33pm: The Lakers will sign Alex Fudge to a two-way contract, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. They will open up a two-way slot by waiving Cole Swider, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Fudge, a 20-year-old forward, put up modest numbers during his college career at LSU and Florida, averaging 4.6 and 3.9 rebounds over two seasons.

Fudge played for L.A.’s Summer League team, and although his statistics didn’t stand out, he impressed the Lakers enough with his athleticism to earn a two-way opportunity. A previous report had indicated he would be signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the team.

Swider, a 24-year-old small forward, signed a two-way contract with L.A. last summer after going undrafted out of Villanova. He appeared in just seven games for the Lakers, spending most of his rookie year in the G League, where he averaged 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 27 regular season games.

Swider’s contract for the upcoming season is non-guaranteed, so L.A. won’t be on the hook for any more money. Colin Castleton and D’Moi Hodge occupy the team’s other two-way spots.

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