The Los Angeles Lakers formally signed undrafted free agents D'Moi Hodge and Colin Castleton to two-way contracts minutes before they began Summer League play at the California Classic in Sacramento.
Hodge and Castleton earning two-way deals had been previously reported after the 2023 NBA Draft. Cole Swider's two-way contract runs through 2023-24. Starting this year, teams are allowed three two-way players instead of two. Scotty Pippen Jr. is no longer on a two-way contract, though he is playing for the Lakers in Summer League.
Two-way contracts allow teams to carry extra players beyond the 15 active members on game nights. Players on two-way deals can freely shuffle between the G League and NBA.
Hodge, a 6'4 guard, won Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year while at Cleveland State and was in contention for SEC DPOY at Missouri thanks to his relentless on-ball defense. He also shot 40% from 3 on 7.1 attempts per game for the Tigers in 2022-23.
Castleton, a smooth-moving center, was arguably the best rim-protector in the SEC during his three seasons at Florida.
Austin Reaves, memorably, turned down the opportunity to be selected in the second round of the 2021 NBA Draft in order to sign a two-way contract with the Lakers. Within two months, the Lakers awarded Reaves a standard NBA contract, and he become a rotation mainstay as a rookie. Reaves, of course, culminated his sophomore campaign by helping lead the Lakers to the conference finals. On Saturday, he and the Lakers agreed to a four-year, $56 million contract.
Castleton is hoping to follow in Reaves' footsteps. Both players are repped by the same agent, who implied that Castleton similarly forewent being drafted in favor of a two-way deal in Los Angeles.
At the moment, the Lakers have two open roster spots for minimum players, and only one center, Jaxson Hayes, behind Anthony Davis.