The Lakers are trimming the edges of their roster as the preseason winds down, and Wednesday’s move was a small one: Cole Swider is out, Jahmir Young is in.
Los Angeles officially waived Swider and signed guard Jahmir Young as the team continues working toward the 15-man limit it has to reach before the 2026-27 NBA regular season opens Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena.
The transaction fits the kind of roster housekeeping teams do this time of year more than any headline-grabbing blockbuster. It’s a marginal move, and the most likely landing spot for both Swider and Young is the G League affiliate, Coachella Valley, for the upcoming season.
Young already has a connection to that pipeline. On Sept. 29, he was acquired by Coachella Valley in a deal that sent big man Kylor Kelly and a 2027 G League first-round draft pick to the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
The guard’s numbers with Sioux Falls last season were strong enough to turn heads: 25.9 points, 8.5 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, with shooting splits of 46.2% from the field and 36.3% from deep. That production earned him All-NBA G League Second Team honors.
Swider’s preseason with the Lakers never really got off the ground. He played in three games and averaged 4.0 points per game while shooting 75% from beyond the arc. Interestingly, that scoring average was higher than Dalton Knecht’s 3.7 in preseason action.
With the roster needing to be cut down to 15 before opening night, at least one player with a guaranteed contract is expected to be gone next week. Friday’s preseason finale against the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena will matter when head coach JJ Redick and his staff make their final calls.
A few names have been floating around the bubble, including Bronny James, Jaden Hardy, Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt.
General manager Rob Pelinka is also expected to keep working the phones in the coming days, and there’s been talk of the Lakers trying to send out two players and bring back one. Given how thin they are in the frontcourt, landing a big man would be the cleanest fit. If no trade partner materializes, the Lakers could go the waiver route instead.
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