Arthur Kaluma joined the Los Angeles Lakers after going undrafted as a member of the 2025 NBA Draft. The franchise clearly saw someone worth taking a chance on, bringing him in as a member of the G League affiliate. The Ugandan hooper made his case for a bigger role within the organization on Saturday.
During the Lakers' 91-70 summer league win over the Dallas Mavericks, Kaluma shined brightly. The Lakers forward led the team in scoring with 34 points, shooting 11-of-16 from the field and 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. The 24-year-old added five rebounds to go with those buckets.
It was a performance that put everyone on notice. Kaluma was already on the radar here at Lake Show Life, being listed as one of the five most intriguing players on the summer league roster. Now, anyone else who was behind the curve is quickly catching up.
Between Chris Manon, AK Okereke, and Peter Suder, the Lakers' three two-way roster spots are currently spoken for. One of those players may suddenly be looking over their shoulder as Kaluma's case for getting on one of those deals continues to grow.
Lakers should make room for Arthur Kaluma on a two-way deal
Let us be clear: this is not a case of Kaluma being a one-hit summer league wonder with relation to his 34-point outburst. This is a statement game that speaks to a much longer journey and track record of development within the Lakers system.
Kaluma made 35 regular season appearances with the South Bay Lakers (now the Coachella Valley Lakers) last season. The production was there.
In 2025-26, Kaluma averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 26.4 minutes per game for South Bay. The Lakers forward shot 54.8 percent from the field and 36.7 percent from beyond the arc. His playoff averages stayed stable, too.
The Lakers need 3-and-D support around Luka Doncic. That is exactly where Kaluma hangs his hat.
"My game is 3-and-D," Kaluma told reporters after the standout summer league game. "I lock up on defense, and I hit open shots. I just got hot today, and I'm not going to try to let it get to my head."
The Lakers are short on the depth chart at Kaluma's positions. Getting him on a two-way deal would give Los Angeles an extra body who can contribute at those spots in 2026-27. If the franchise truly believes in how he has come along in their system, the decision to give him that contract should be an easy one.
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