The Los Angeles Lakers announced they have signed center Kylor Kelley. The terms of the deal were not disclosed but it is presumably an Exhibit 10 contract.
That would allow the Lakers to have Kelley for training camp and the preseason and if they waive him, his contract can be transferred to the South Bay Lakers in the G League if he does not land an NBA deal elsewhere.
The Lakers did the same thing with Kelley last season, and he spend a majority of the 2024-25 season with South Bay. The 7-footer appeared in 32 games (27 starts) and averaged 11.5 points on a career-high 68.2 percent shooting from the field, 7.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.4 blocks in 26.7 minutes per game at the G League level.
That play earned him a pair of call-ups during the season as he played in 11 games (two starts) with the New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks, averaging 3.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 11.5 minutes. Kelley recorded a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double with one assist and one block in his first career NBA start with the Mavericks on Feb. 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In 108 career NBA G League games across four seasons with the South Bay Lakers (2024-25), Maine Celtics (2023-24), Raptors 905 (2022-23) and Austin Spurs (2020-21), Kelley has put up 8.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 2.0 blocks in 20.1 minutes. He was named to the 2024 NBA G League All-Defensive Team after leading the league in blocks per game. In addition to his NBA and G League experience, the 28-year-old has competed internationally in Canada (2022-23), Denmark (2022-23) and England (2021-22).
The center position has been a clear need for the Lakers since trading away Anthony Davis, and Kelley will have a chance to earn a spot in training camp. The Lakers have an open roster spot and an open two-way spot, and Kelley presence inside as a shot blocker and defensive anchor is something the team currently lacks.
Other Lakers Exhibit 10 signings
Earlier in the offseason, the Lakers announced other Exhibit 10 signings, including Eric Dixon, RJ Davis, Arthur Kaluma and Augustas Marciulionis.
They will all get looks during training camp and the preseason, along with Kylor Kelley, to compete for the final two-way roster spot. Unless they get signed to an NBA contract elsewhere, they will likely make up the core of the South Bay Lakers for the 2025-26 G League season.
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