The Los Angeles Lakers made several moves on the fringes of their roster on Wednesday, seemingly laying the groundwork for their G League affiliate ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Sharpshooting wing Cole Swider, who previously signed an Exhibit-10 training camp contract, was waived to make room for guard Jahmir Young on the same type of deal.
However, Young’s stay on the NBA roster lasted just hours, with Los Angeles subsequently waiving him to sign 25-year-old forward Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones to another Exhibit-10 agreement.
The moves appear designed to strengthen the Coachella Valley Lakers, who are preparing for their inaugural season following the relocation and rebranding of South Bay.
Lakers Add Intriguing International Standout to Developmental Pipeline
Swider, Young, and Tait-Jones are all potential additions to Coachella Valley’s roster for the upcoming G League campaign.
Should they join the affiliate and remain for at least 60 days, all three could qualify for an Exhibit 10 bonus worth up to $91,000 in addition to their standard G League salaries.
Los Angeles already holds the G League returning player rights to Swider and Young, while Tait-Jones has yet to play in the league, making him a potential new addition to the developmental system.
The 6-foot-6 forward went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft before joining the Toronto Raptors for Summer League.
He subsequently signed with Valmiera Glass VIA in Latvia, where he enjoyed an impressive 2025-26 campaign and established himself as one of the league’s standout performers.
His honors included winning the Latvian Basketball League, Latvian-Estonian Basketball League, and Latvian Cup championships, alongside earning Latvian-Estonian Basketball League Finals MVP recognition.
Across 30 appearances in the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League, Tait-Jones averaged 15.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 55.3% from the field.
His perimeter shooting remains a developing aspect of his game, with the forward connecting on just 25.0% of his three-point attempts, although he averaged only 0.8 attempts per contest.
Tait-Jones Brings Impressive College Pedigree to LA
Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Tait-Jones began his professional career with the Wellington Saints in 2019 before moving to the United States to pursue college basketball.
He spent three seasons at Hawaii-Hilo between 2020 and 2023 before transferring to UC San Diego, where he played from 2023 to 2025.
During his senior season, Tait-Jones averaged an impressive 19.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals while shooting 57.6% from the field and 31.3% from three-point range.
Across 130 collegiate appearances, he averaged 16.8 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 steals on an efficient 52.4% shooting.
His performances earned him Big West Newcomer of the Year honors in 2024, followed by Big West Player of the Year, First-Team All-Big West, and Big West Tournament MVP recognition in 2025.
“At 6-foot-6, Tait-Jones is the ideal size for moving between the two and the three,” draft expert Ersin Demir previously wrote. “He has a strong upper body and a good frame.”
“He’s a good athlete but embraces advantage creation with his reads rather than relying on his physique. That’s a much more feasible solution, as the physical advantage largely vanishes when he’s facing NBA athletes.”
“With decent verticality and quick feet, Tait-Jones shows a promising physical profile for NBA coaches to work with.”
With RJ Davis, Kobe Bufkin, and Nick Smith Jr. among the departures from the Lakers’ G League backcourt, Coachella Valley faces considerable roster turnover.
Meanwhile, Chris Manon and Arthur Kaluma could see increased opportunities at the NBA level, potentially opening the door for other players to take on more prominent roles.
Tait-Jones could now emerge as an important perimeter option alongside Young and Swider, giving Coachella Valley an intriguing blend of international experience, scoring ability, and developmental upside.
Lakers Add Decorated International Standout Following Roster Shakeup