The Los Angeles Lakers have long needed a quality 3-and-D forward, and they might just have someone down at the G League who could someday be just that. The South Bay Lakers, the Lakers’ affiliate, have clinched the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the 2026 playoffs, and forward Arthur Kaluma has played his part in their success.
The 6’7″ Kaluma had signed with the Lakers as an undrafted free agent in 2025 following a four-year college career. He was given an Exhibit 10 deal in June, but was waived in September, after which he headed to South Bay. Kaluma would make waves in his rookie season in the G League, and it is clear he is someone to keep an eye on.
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Kaluma would finish the regular season with averages of 14.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game as South Bay went 26-10. The 24-year-old shot an excellent 45.3% from beyond the arc on 4.8 attempts per game before the All-Star break, but would cool down after it.
Kaluma shot just 22.6% from three over his last 17 games, which is concerning. That brought his number for the season down to 36.7%, but he has shown he is capable of being a knockdown shooter.
There is also reason to believe Kaluma will keep improving as a shooter, based on his track record. He started his college career at Creighton in 2021 and shot just 26.5% from three as a freshman. That number went up to 31.1% in his sophomore season, after which he chose to declare for the 2023 NBA Draft.
Kaluma would later withdraw his name from the draft and transfer to Kansas State. He’d take another leap as a shooter there, knocking down 34.5% of his threes as a junior. Kaluma would transfer again after the season, making his way to Texas for his senior year. He shot 35.9% from three in his final college season.
For Kaluma to go from 26.5% to 35.9% is quite impressive. He then shot 40.0% from three in the Summer League for the Lakers, so knocking down shots from beyond the arc at a good clip shouldn’t be a problem.
As the defending part, Kaluma, who has a 7’1″ wingspan, is a switchable defender. He has the quickness to stay with guards on the perimeter and the length and strength to trouble forwards and even bigs.
There is a lot to like here, and Kaluma is definitely a candidate to get a two-way contract from the Lakers next season. If he keeps improving, he might crack the rotation at some point.
