Two former Lakers players have earned the right to potentially suit up in the purple and gold again this summer, as the team confirms it has given William Kyle III and Cole Swider Exhibit 10 deals just one day before media day and two days before training camp.
They are expected to compete in training camp for a potential future two-way deal. Both players are Syracuse University alumni, but Swider was a senior to Kyle in college.
William Kyle III, a Nebraska native who first went to South Dakota before transferring to UCLA and then to Syracuse, earned his first Exhibit 10 deal after going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft and impressing the Lakers enough in the Summer League to earn another Exhibit 10 deal for training camp.
The 22-year-old ended the Summer League averaging 2.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks while shooting 66.7% from the field. The 6'9″ center could play as a backup big man if either Walker Kessler or Kevon Looney is not healthy to play. But I do not think this addition really moves the needle for the Lakers.
Cole Swider is from Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and first went to Villanova before joining Syracuse in the 2021-22 NCAA season. Swider has more NBA experience, earning his first stint with the Lakers after going undrafted in 2022 and eventually playing for the South Bay Lakers.
He averaged 17.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, shooting 50.6% from the field and 43.6% from three. Swider then left the team in 2023 and hopped through several franchises, including the Heat , Pistons , and Raptors , on their G League rosters before rejoining the Lakers.
The 27-year-old Swider also had a second stint with the South Bay team in 2025 before eventually heading to Turkey to play for Anadolu Efes. In his first stint with the South Bay Lakers, he proved to be a nightly scoring threat. He is a more promising prospect in my opinion.
If Swider earns a two-way deal following the training camp, he could still be a promising addition to the roster. But it will be a tough choice to decide who among Arthur Kaluma , Chris Manon, or AK Okereke to waive to make space for either of them.
After the news went live on social media, Cole Swider reacted with purple and gold heart emojis, showing his gratitude for another shot at a standard contract.
Before signing William Kyle and Cole Swider, the team waived guards Meechie Johnson and Chase Ross less than 10 days after giving them Exhibit 10 deals.
The Lakers have given Cole Swider and William Kyle III another chance to prove themselves, but landing a two-way contract won't be easy. Both former Lakers will need to make a good impression during training camp because only a few roster spots are available and multiple players are competing for them. It will be fascinating to see which of these players makes the opening-day roster.
