Report: Los Angeles Lakers sign Colin Castleton to two-way contract

Former Florida center Colin Castleton has re-signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-way contract, according to a report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Castleton spent his rookie season with the Lakers last year, appearing in 16 games.

He didn’t have a big impact, averaging only 3.7 minutes per contest. In that work, Castleton averaged 1.5 points and 0.8 rebounds per game.

But the former Florida big man has dealt with a pair of right wrist injuries that have hampered the start of his NBA career. The first injury occurred late in the 2023 season with the Gators, ending his final season.

Then he suffered a fractured right wrist while playing for the Lakers last spring.

Colin Castleton had made a name for himself playing for the G League’s South Bay Lakers, where he averaged 16.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 blocks and 0.9 steals per game in 28.8 minutes per game across 24 appearances.

He’ll have a chance to crack the Lakers’ rotation if fully healthy again.

In terms of his game, Colin Castleton has really worked to improve his shooting, which could be a complement to his excellent passing ability as a big man.

“Every day, that’s the focal point this summer,” Castleton told Trevor Lane, the host of the Lakers Nation podcast. “That’s like the No. 1 thing. I feel like I’ve gotten more shots up than I have my whole life, to be honest. Just every single day working on my shot in the gym with multiple coaches and some of the guys in the front office helping me as well.

“So just being able to focus on that going into Summer League because it’s something that we want to do and I want to be able to do in Summer League is showcase that ability that I’ve worked on throughout the whole summer. So that’s the No. 1 focal point this summer, that and my defense, just little tendencies. But for the most part that’s like the biggest focus I have this whole entire summer.”

Colin Castleton averaged 14.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game across three seasons at Florida after transferring in from Michigan. He was the 2023 USA TODAY Defensive Player of the Year and a 2023 All-SEC selection.