The Cole Swider experiment is officially over for the Los Angeles Lakers, with the team recently parting ways with the sharpshooter to open a spot for forward Alex Fudge, who inked a two-way deal with the team recently.
Fortunately for Swider, the 24-year-old didn’t stay unemployed for long, with the Miami Heat deciding to bring him in.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Heat have signed Swider to a deal.
Ex-Lakers G/F Cole Swider is signing a deal with the Miami Heat, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 6, 2023
This tweet from Charania is pretty vague, so it’s uncertain what kind of deal Swider sign to join Jimmy Butler and company in Miami. It could be a training camp deal, with the Heat trying to fill out the roster ahead of the NBA preseason, which will get underway at the beginning of October.
Usually, NBA teams don’t begin filling out their roster for the preseason and training camp until September, so this seems a little early, which could mean Swider will have a more significant role than just another body on the team that will likely get cut before the start of the regular season in late October.
Swider was initially thought to be an ideal addition for the Lakers, with the team actively looking for shooters over the past couple of years. Unfortunately, he never really got much of a shot to showcase his skills with limited playing time in Los Angeles, as he played in only seven games last year with an average of less than six minutes on the floor at a time, meaning it was most garbage time for the Syracuse product.
Fortunately for Swider, he’ll likely have an opportunity to show what he can do in South Beach, with the Heat always turning players’ careers around, with quite a few success stories like Duncan Robinson, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus.
Fudge Signs Two-Way Deal With Lakers
After Summer League came to an end for the Lakers, the team made some unexpected moves, as they parted ways with sharpshooter Cole Swider and replaced him with forward Alex Fudge.
Fudge was one of the bright spots on the Summer League roster for the Lakers, along with Max Christie, Colin Castleton and D’Moi Hodge.
Usually, two-way players don’t get much time to shine, but the Lakers have had a lot of success with players in that position over the last few years, with Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves becoming legitimate starters and signing lucrative long-term deals as a result.