The Lakers keep churning through their roster, and their latest move is a familiar kind of late-October bet: Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones has landed on an Exhibit 10 deal.
That comes as Los Angeles has been active all offseason, reworking the roster after the departures of key players such as LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and Marcus Smart. Within weeks of free agency opening, the Lakers had already made most of their moves and added pieces around Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler. But with the opening night roster deadline set for Oct. 19, the front office is still tinkering.
The recent wave has included waiving Jahmir Young and Cole Swider, and now Tait-Jones enters the picture. ESPN’s Olgun Uluc reported the signing and wrote:
“Kiwi forward Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones has signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources told ESPN. The 25-year-old recently averaged 15.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg, and 2.7 apg for Valmiera Glass VIA, winning the Estonian-Latvian Basketball League Championship and Final MVP.”
Tait-Jones, a New Zealand-born forward, arrives in Los Angeles after a strong run in the Estonian-Latvian Basketball League. At 6’6″ and 200 pounds, he is not a classic overpowering wing, but his 6’11” wingspan and polished skill set give him real intrigue. He’s shown he can create shots, make good decisions, and operate as a versatile scoring option.
His path has been unconventional. Tait-Jones spent three years at the Division II level, where he picked up two All-Second Team honors and one All-First Team selection. As a junior, he transferred to UC San Diego and quickly became a key two-way piece for the program.
His best college season came in 2024-25. He averaged 19.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 57.6% from the field, which led the conference. His 31.3% mark from three-point range is still a clear area to improve, but the scoring efficiency stood out.
After going undrafted in the 2025 NBA draft, Tait-Jones joined the Toronto Raptors’ Summer League team and struggled to carve out minutes. He then took his game overseas for the 2025-26 season and thrived with Valmiera Glass VIA, helping the club win the title and earning Finals MVP honors.
Now he’s trying to turn that success into another NBA opportunity. The challenge is obvious: the Lakers already have 16 players on the active roster, which is one above the standard limit. With few spots available, Tait-Jones could be waived before long.
If that happens, there is still a path for him to cash in. He would be eligible for a bonus worth up to $91,000 on top of his base salary if he spends at least 60 days with the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers. For Tait-Jones, that could become the next chance to show he belongs.
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