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.

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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.