The Los Angeles Lakers have signed undrafted rookie ahead Alex Fudge to a two-way contract, his agent Shayaun Saee of One Legacy Sports activities advised vice chairman of basketball operations and normal supervisor Rob Pelinka on Wednesday.
Los Angeles can also be anticipated to waive two-way ahead Cole Swider. Fudge, 20, made 12 begins in 61 profession video games over the course of two seasons at Louisiana State College (2021-22) and the College of Florida (2022-23).
In accordance to some NBA betting sites, the Los Angeles Lakers maintain seventh-shortest odds to win subsequent season’s championship in 2024. Sportsbooks present higher odds for the Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers introduced they’ve signed Alex Fudge to a two-way contract and requested waivers on Cole Swider. pic.twitter.com/6yFh46UbOu
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) July 26, 2023
In Fudge’s freshman 2021-22 season, the ahead made one begin in 29 video games with LSU. He averaged 3.3 factors, 3.2 rebounds, and 13.9 minutes per sport. Plus, Fudge shot 42.4% from the sphere, 28.6% from downtown, and 56.8% on the free throw line.
Fudge then made 11 begins in 32 appearances of his sophomore 2022-23 season with the Gators. The Florida native averaged profession highs of 5.8 factors, 4.5 rebounds, and 19.3 minutes per sport whereas capturing 39.7% from the ground, 22.9% past the arc, and 58.9% on the foul line.
Los Angeles Lakers signal rookie ahead Alex Fudge to a two-way contract, anticipated to waive second-year wing Cole Swider
Moreover, Alex Fudge recorded a career-high 16 factors in wins towards Stony Brook (Nov. 7) and Florida A&M (Nov. 30). The undrafted wing grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds in victories over Florida A&M and Ohio (Dec. 14) as properly.
Fudge completed seventeenth in blocks (25) within the SEC and sixteenth in blocks per sport (0.8). In the course of the 2023 NBA 2K24 Summer season League, the rookie ahead averaged 2.6 factors, 1.4 rebounds, 1.0 help, and 1.0 block in 5 outings for the Lakers. The previous Tiger additionally shot 33.3% from the sphere and 50% from 3-point vary.
Fudge joins former Gators teammate Colin Castleton and D’Moi Hodge because the Lakers’ two-way gamers. Underneath the league’s new collective bargaining settlement, the utmost variety of two-way gamers per workforce elevated from two to 3.
BREAKING: Alex Fudge indicators a two-way contract with the Lakers.pic.twitter.com/Ll6aM6exOC
— NBALakersReport (@NBALakersReport) July 26, 2023
Moreover, Swider appeared in seven video games for the Lakers final season, averaging 1.3 factors, 1.0 rebound, and 5.9 minutes per sport. The 6-foot-9 ahead made 19 begins in 27 video games with the South Bay Lakers, LA’s NBA G-League affiliate.
In fact, the 24-year-old logged 17.1 factors, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 28.7 minutes per contest with South Bay within the 2022-23 season. Swider went undrafted out of Syracuse College final July.
