Lakers Waive Two-Way Player D’Moi Hodge in Roster Shake-Up

The Los Angeles Lakers have decided to part ways with two-way guard D’Moi Hodge and two-way forward Alex Fudge. The announcement comes as part of the team’s strategic roster adjustments ahead of the looming deadline for two-way contracts to become guaranteed this Sunday.

Hodge, who joined the Lakers as an undrafted free agent this past summer, exhibited notable skills during the Summer League, particularly showcasing his 3-and-D abilities. Despite limited playing time in seven regular-season games for the Lakers, averaging 1.0 points in 3.6 minutes, the British Virgin Islands native made significant contributions to the South Bay Lakers in the G League, averaging 11.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.4 steals in 22.6 minutes over 16 games.

Similarly, Fudge, who initially signed up for the Lakers during the Summer League after going undrafted out of Florida, secured a two-way contract in July. While his on-court appearances for the Lakers were limited to four games with an average of 1.0 points in 3.6 minutes, Fudge displayed versatility in the G League, averaging 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.6 blocks in 18.7 minutes over 10 games with South Bay.

In light of these roster changes, the Lakers have opened up two two-way roster spots to potentially bring in new talent. One such addition is wing player Dylan Windler, who caught the Lakers’ attention with an impressive performance for the Westchester Knicks in the G League, scoring 23 points and securing a remarkable 33 rebounds.

With the unexpected waiving of Hodge, the Lakers now have another two-way spot available, providing flexibility for potential signings or waiting for other opportunities. Additionally, the team has an open standard roster spot with only 14 active players, making room for possible 10-day contract signings this week.

Notably, Colin Castleton remains the one two-way player retained by the Lakers, given his outstanding season with South Bay, where he is averaging 18.7 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.6 blocks while shooting an impressive 60.1% from the field in 12 G League games.

The departure of Hodge and Fudge opens the possibility for other teams to claim them if they have available two-way spots. However, should they go unclaimed and hit free agency, there remains a chance that both players may choose to stay within the Lakers organisation, continuing their developmental journey with the South Bay Lakers in the G League for the remainder of the season.