Cole Swider Eyes Roster Spot with Miami Heat After Departure from Lakers

Former Los Angeles Lakers two-way forward, Cole Swider, is not only left out of the Lakers’ two-way contract signing plans but is now competing for a roster spot with his new team, the Miami Heat.

According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, the 6’9″ Syracuse product has verbally agreed to an Exhibit 10 training camp contract with the Miami Heat. However, due to Miami currently carrying only 13 players signed to deals on its standard 15-man roster, the team is temporarily unable to finalize any Exhibit 10 deals until it adds a 14th player. The Lakers waived Swider on July 26, making way for Alex Fudge, a former Florida wing, on their roster. Fudge joins Colin Castleton and D’Moi Hodge to occupy LA’s three two-way slots for the upcoming 2023-24 NBA season.

The Miami Heat still has one two-way slot available, but they issued a qualifying offer to incumbent two-way player Jamal Cain, indicating that they have his two-way rights and would need to relinquish them to add another two-way player like Swider.

Swider had an impressive second Summer League performance with the Lakers in Las Vegas, averaging 15.2 points on 45.6% shooting from the floor, including 42.5% from beyond the arc on eight triple attempts per game. He also grabbed an average of 5.6 rebounds per game during the tournament.

Considering Miami’s need for size and spacing, Swider could potentially fulfill a vital role for the team, especially after losing two of its better volume shooters, Gabe Vincent (now with the Lakers) and Max Strus (now on the Cleveland Cavaliers).

However, securing a two-way spot with the Miami Heat won’t be an easy task for Swider. Another 6’9″ undrafted forward, USC alum Drew Peterson, has also reportedly agreed to a verbal commitment on a training camp deal with the Heat. Both players will likely have to prove themselves during the training camp to earn a spot on the roster.

As Cole Swider embarks on his new journey with the Miami Heat, he remains determined to make the most of this opportunity and showcase his skills on the court. With his impressive Summer League performance behind him, Swider’s chances of securing a roster spot with the Heat are promising, but the competition will be fierce.