Kaluma spent his rookie season with the South Bay Lakers in the G League and has returned this summer looking markedly improved. His rapid rise is now presenting the Lakers with a key roster consideration for the near future.
With first-round pick Cameron Carr sidelined by an injury, Kaluma moved into the starting lineup against the Dallas Mavericks. He seized the chance, erupting for 34 points in 30 minutes on 11-of-16 shooting, including six three-pointers. He also made all three of his free-throw attempts and grabbed five rebounds, drawing widespread praise from Lakers fans and media who have called for a larger role for him within the team.
Kaluma’s emergence, while encouraging, creates a new challenge for the Lakers. Despite his strong Summer League showings, Los Angeles controls only Kaluma’s returning G League rights. He is not under an NBA contract and remains free to sign either a standard NBA deal or a two-way contract with any team, without the Lakers receiving compensation. This kind of scenario is not uncommon in the league.
In 2024, the Lakers did not convert Scotty Pippen Jr. from a G League player into a two-way or standard NBA contract, allowing another team to sign him before he developed into a reliable NBA contributor. Similar cases occur regularly around the league. For instance, last season the Houston Rockets signed Tristen Newton to a two-way contract after he emerged as one of the G League’s leading scorers with the Iowa Wolves.
Kaluma’s height and wingspan—6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan—fit the long, athletic, two-way wing archetype that has become highly sought after in the NBA. His breakout performance against Dallas came one day after another solid showing in a 96-84 Lakers win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, where Kaluma scored 18 points in 16 minutes on an efficient 5-of-5 from the field and a perfect 1-of-1 from three, adding four rebounds (including two on the offensive boards) and one assist.
Across four Summer League appearances in both the California Classic and Las Vegas, Kaluma has averaged 20.0 points in 23.0 minutes per game, despite primarily coming off the bench. He has shot 59.1% from the floor, 38.1% from three-point range, and 86.7% from the free-throw line. He has also averaged 4.2 rebounds (1.5 on the offensive glass), 1.0 assist, and roughly one block per game, showcasing athleticism, motor, and two-way versatility that could earn him a much bigger opportunity with the Lakers soon.
With the roster now full after the recent signing of Ziaire Williams, a two-way contract remains the clearest path for Kaluma to secure his immediate future with the organization. Without such a deal, he would be free to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
Looking ahead, Kaluma’s performance trajectory could influence how the Lakers structure their two-way roster heading into training camp. The team will weigh the potential value of keeping Kaluma in the organization through a two-way contract against pursuing other options who may be ready to contribute at the NBA level in the near term.
Overall, Kaluma’s Summer League production has made him one of the more compelling young players in the Lakers’ system this year. His combination of size, athleticism, and two-way potential positions him as a player to watch as the team shapes its plans for the regular season and beyond.
