Report: Lakers ‘still waiting for answers’ on Christian Koloko as they search for center help

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers are “still waiting for answers” from the league on the status of center Christian Koloko.

The Lakers have also reportedly explored adding more center help to their roster, per Charania.

“Another thing to keep an eye on…is Christian Koloko — they signed him to a two-way contract before training camp,” Charania said. “He was expected to play a potential reserve role on this roster, and our Lakers reporter Dave McMenamin and I have heard internally the Lakers’ doctors have felt confident that he will be cleared by the league’s Fitness-to-Play Panel due to his blood clot issue, but that is still an ongoing process.

“The Lakers are still waiting for answers from the league — from the P.A. — on his clearance. That’s going to be a major factor to keep an eye on because this was a guy in Koloko who was gonna play a potential role down the stretch of this Lakers season.”

The Lakers employ one of the most talented two-way big men in the NBA in Anthony Davis, but getting him some help in the frontcourt is a frequent topic of conversation.

There are question marks surrounding the Lakers’ other big men, and thus the team could seemingly benefit from adding a center before the start of the regular season.

With players like Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood currently recovering from injuries, the Lakers are particularly thin on frontcourt help. Jaxson Hayes has stepped up in the meantime, but adding another body would likely be a wise move for L.A.

Koloko has had an extended absence from playing in the NBA thanks to his blood clot issue. He sat out the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign, so the jury’s out on whether he will be able to provide Los Angeles productive minutes this coming season. In his first and only season of action in the NBA so far, he averaged 3.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.

Of course, if the Lakers were to add another center, it might open the door for L.A. to give Davis some more minutes the 4, depending on the situation. That’s something that a lot of fans would certainly like to see.

Whether it’s via trade or by other means, Lakers fans should keep their fingers crossed in the hope that at least one big man will be added to the squad in the near future.