Cole Swider

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers signed forward Alex Fudge to a two-way contract, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka. In a related move, the Lakers requested waivers on two-way forward Cole Swider.

Fudge (6’9”, 192) appeared in 61 career games (12 starts) across two seasons at the University of Florida (2022-23) and Louisiana State University (2021-22). In 2022-23, Fudge posted averages of 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds in 19.3 minutes in 32 games (11 starts) as a Gator. The 20-year-old most recently appeared in five games for Los Angeles at NBA 2K24 Summer League in Las Vegas.

Swider appeared in seven games for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, averaging 1.3 points and 1.0 rebounds in 5.9 minutes per game. In NBA G League action, the 24-year-old appeared in 27 games (19 starts) for the South Bay Lakers during the 2022-23 campaign, averaging 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 28.7 minutes per contest. Swider was originally signed by the Lakers out of Syracuse University on July 1, 2022.

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Los Angeles Lakers Sign Alex Fudge to Two-Way Contract

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Cole Swider splashes in a 3-pointer

Darius Soriano

2022-23 Season Summary:Playing on a two-way contract in his rookie season, Cole Swider made seven appearances for the Lakers but spent most of the year playing in the G-League for South Bay where he made 27 appearances -- including 19 as a starter. Swider came into this campaign known as a high-level shooter and lived up to his reputation, burying 43.6% of his three-pointers and 50.6% of his shots overall en route to scoring 17.1 points a game as a floor-spacing, stretch power forward who also added 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists a game.

By The Numbers:119.5: Offensive Rating of the South Bay Lakers when Swider was on the court this season, the second-best mark of any player on the team. While team offensive rating is never only about a single individual, Swider's shot making and floor spacing clearly helped South Bay's offense play to a strong level whenever he was on the floor.

89: Number of three-pointers Swider made in his 27 games with South Bay, tied for the 9th most in the G-League this season. Of the 10 players who hit the most threes this year, Swider's 43.6% shooting from behind the arc was the second-best percentage.

52.5%: Percentage of corner three-pointers Swider hit this season with South Bay. While Swider's shooting translated all over the floor, nowhere was he more prolific than from the corners.

Moving Forward:Swider spent this past season proving capable of being a knock down shooter and, at 6'9" and 220 pounds, that sort of marksmanship at that size is a quality that will always have value. In order to find an avenue towards a more consistent role and an eventual full-time spot in the NBA, Swider will need to continue to hit shots, but also prove his focus can shift to making strides as a team defender that leverages his size and instincts for how offenses operate into being in the correct positions and making the right rotations on the other side of the floor.

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Cole Swider 2023 Lakers Player Capsule

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Lakers team doctors have diagnosed two-way forward Cole Swider with a navicular stress reaction of the right foot.

Swider will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks, and further updates will be provided at that time.

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Cole Swider Medical Update

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cole Swider to two-way contracts, it was announced today.

Pippen Jr. appeared in 36 games (all starts) for Vanderbilt last season, averaging 20.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.9 steals in 33.1 minutes. The 2021-22 All-SEC First Team selection led the conference in scoring and was the first SEC player to average 20 points in back-to-back seasons since 1996. Pippen Jr. also led the NCAA in made free throws last season with 224 such shots, a Vanderbilt single-season record. In three seasons as a Commodore, Pippen Jr. averaged 17.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.6 steals in 90 career games.

Swider appeared in 33 games (all starts) for Syracuse last season, averaging 13.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.0 steals in 34.5 minutes. He shot over 40 percent from three-point range in each of the last two seasons, hitting at a 41.1 percent mark in 2021-22 (81-197 3FG) and a 40.2 percent mark in 2020-21 (35-87 3FG). Across four years at Syracuse and Villanova, Swider averaged 7.8 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 43.2 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three-point range.

Cole Swider

Los Angeles Lakers Sign Alex Fudge to Two-Way Contract

Cole Swider splashes in a 3-pointer

Cole Swider 2023 Lakers Player Capsule

Cole Swider Medical Update

Lakers Sign Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cole Swider to Two-Way Contracts

2022 Draft Workouts: Cole Swider (6/21/22)