The Los Angeles Lakers are still reshaping their roster as free agency moves into the second week of July, and several players remain unsigned or firmly entrenched on the trade block.
That isn't all that Rob Pelinka and the front office have their eye on, though. For those who may not have noticed during the holiday weekend, summer league play has tipped off, and the Purple and Gold were one of the first teams to take the floor on Saturday when they squared off against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
Los Angeles ultimately fell to Golden State, 89-84, but wins and losses over the summer aren't as important as identifying the right fits for training camp roster invites. While it was just one game, a former Lakers wing made sure that Pelinka and the brain trust in Los Angeles remembered his name with his showing against the Warriors.
Swider Forcing L.A. to Consider Reunion With 24-Point Performance
Former Villanova and Syracuse University standout Cole Swider broke into the league with the Lakers after going undrafted and appeared in seven games for Los Angeles during the 2022-23 season. While his stint with the Purple and Gold was short-lived, Swider did go on to play for the Miami Heat, Detroit Pistons, and Toronto Raptors.
Saturday night, Swider showed why he was considered to be one of the top perimeter shooters in college basketball as he knocked down six of his eight attempts from beyond the arc to score a game-high 24 points to go along with eight rebounds and one steal in 29 minutes of action.
These are the types of performances that stand out in the eyes of front office executives and can earn a player like Swider a home within the league if the right situation presents itself. It is still too early to know what Los Angeles' roster will look like when training camp opens in September, but Swider is only strengthening his case to be among the players sharing the floor with LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and company.