An underrated part of the Los Angeles Lakers development plan is signing undrafted players after the NBA Draft and putting them on two-way contracts. A recent example of this is center Colin Castleton, who signed with L.A. after going undrafted a year ago with the hopes of molding into an NBA player.
Most of his rookie season featured Castleton playing with the South Bay Lakers, getting reps up in the G League when not getting rotational minutes with the parent club. But with a new coach coming in and a year under his belt, perhaps Castleton can get a more sustained look in the preseason and training camp if he is back with the team.
Adding a 3-point shot to his repertoire for the former Florida Gator could go a long way for him as spacing centers are becoming sought after by every team. In an interview with us, Castleton shared that he has been working on his 3-point shooting and plans on showcasing it in Summer League.
“Yeah, every day. That’s the focal point this summer, that’s the No. 1 thing,” Castleton said in an interview with Lakers Nation’s Trevor Lane and Sean Davis. “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 cause it’s something that we want to do and I want to be able to do in Summer League to be able to showcase that ability that I 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 the biggest focus I have this whole entire summer.”
Coming out of college, Castleton showed promise with his ability to handle the ball a little and pass out of the post. In addition to his solid rim protection, Castleton was viewed as a back-to-the-basket big who needed his offensive game to expand. However, being able to sit behind Anthony Davis and learn from him could play a significant role in his development.
All things considered, seeing Castleton taking pride in adding new wrinkles to his game is promising to see. He wants to earn minutes and become a rotational big, and if his 3-point shooting comes to fruition, things could end up materializing.
Colin Castleton hoping to remain with Lakers & play in Summer League
Due to being on a two-way contract his rookie season, Colin Castleton’s future in L.A. is in limbo going into the offseason. Admittedly, he wants to stay with the Lakers but is more focused on Summer League coming up in July.
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