3 marksmen that could snag the final Lakers roster spot

2. Cole Swider

Cole Swider has to be the favorite amongst Lakers fans to get the final roster spot this season. Swider was the biggest standout of the Summer League for Los Angeles and was one of, if not the, best shooters in the entire showcase.

Swider’s game is polished for a rookie and that is due to the fact that he is entering the 2022-23 season at 23 years old. We see it time and time again in the NBA: these rookies with more college experience come into the league as more of a finished product.

His ceiling is obviously not close to that of a lottery pick, but Swider can contribute as a rotational role player that knocks down threes as early as his first season. In a perfect world, especially if he shows focus on the defensive end, Swider can be a better version of Kyle Kuzma for the Lakers.

We cannot say that Swider will be as well-rounded as an offensive player when it comes to Kuzma’s slashing and finishing ability, but that is not what LA needs. The Lakers always wanted Kuzma to be a three-and-D stretch four and he never could be a great version of that. There is potential there for Swider.

However, the team could end up picking someone like Matt Ryan (or the no. 3 person on this list) if they want to keep Swider on his two-way deal. He can still be around the NBA team and can get some experience this year, allowing LA to use that roster spot elsewhere.