Who is the first player released by the Los Angeles Lakers before the 2024-25 NBA season?

The Los Angeles Lakers continue to make moves on their roster ahead of next season in the NBA. After it was revealed that the organization had reached an agreement with Cameroonian player Christian Koloko, it was reported that Colin Castleton, Armel Traore, or Blake Hinson could be one of those sacrificed.

The Toronto Raptors drafted Koloco in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft. He aims to make a name for himself in the league at the center position. In the previous season, he played in 58 games, with an average of 3.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. He maintained a field goal shooting percentage of 48% and a free throw shooting percentage of 62.7%.

The Lakers' withdrawal to make room for Koloko

The organization announced yesterday that Blake Hinson, a forward known for his long-range shooting, will be released to make space for Koloko on the roster. Hinson had agreed to a two-way deal in early July and was playing under that agreement.

He was a regular in the Summer Leagues with the Lakers and played two seasons with Pittsburgh during college after spending two seasons at Ole Miss. He also had some playing time at Iowa State.

He shot 82.1% from the free throw line, 34.1% from the paint, and 32.9% from three in eight appearances with the Lakers in the Summer League, so he could be an interesting player for some teams in the NBA and maybe still stay on some kind of a two-way contract.