The Los Angeles Lakers are strengthening their roster ahead of training camp.
The Lakers have re-signed their former two-way player, forward Alex Fudge, the team announced in a press release Thursday evening.
While the exact terms of the deal have not been revealed, it seems very likely that it is an Exhibit 10-type contract. All 15 standard roster spots on the Lakers are filled, as are all three of LA’s two-way spots.
The 21-year-old went undrafted in the 2023 NBA draft after two NCAA seasons, first with Louisiana State University in 2021-22 and then with the University of Florida in 2022-23. He agreed to a two-way contract with the Lakers and spent time with LA’s G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, in El Segundo.
Los Angeles released him after he played just four games for the Lakers in January.
Fudge then signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks in March. He only played two games with Dallas. Since his contract was not converted to a standard contract before the 2024 playoffs, Fudge was unable to play in any of the Mavericks’ games during the team’s run to the 2024 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.
In 33 Showcase Cup and regular-season games with the South Bay Lakers and the Mavericks’ NBAGL team, the Texas Legends, the 2.03-m forward averaged 8.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 18.5 minutes of play. He scored a career-best 18 points while with the South Bay Lakers in a Dec. 2 game against the Utah Jazz’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars.
This year, during Summer League, Fudge again played for Dallas, although the Mavericks appear to have ultimately decided against signing him for training camp. In five games with the Mavericks in Summer League, he averaged 4.6 points on 37.9 percent shooting, 3.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 0.6 steals per game.
Beyond the standard, two-way contracts set by LA, Fudge will join previously announced Exhibit 10 signings Kylor Kelley and Quincy Olivari, as well as announced training camp players Sean East and Jordan Goodwin. All are no doubt hoping to become affiliate players in the South Bay. Any Exhibit 10 signing who is released before the season and attaches to that team’s NBAGL affiliate becomes eligible after 60 days for a signing bonus, worth up to $77,500 this year.
More Lakers: Los Angeles Legend Shaquille O’Neal Picks Worst NBA Player
