Banged-up Grizzlies signing ex-Lakers center waived a month ago

The Memphis Grizzlies are currently dealing with an extensive injury crisis, with multiple stars including talisman Ja Morant currently out. However, reinforcements have arrived in the form of none other than Christian Koloko, who the Grizzlies have signed on a 10-day hardship contract.

Per Shams Charania, Memphis has brought in the former Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors center in an effort to stabilize its depleted frontcourt amid a growing list of absences.

The Memphis Grizzlies are signing former Lakers and Raptors center Christian Koloko to a 10-day contract via hardship exception, sources tell ESPN.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 22, 2025

Memphis is signing Koloko to a 10-day deal via a hardship exception, allowing the team to add a player earlier than standard league rules would typically permit. The Grizzlies qualified for the exception due to multiple long-term injuries that have significantly thinned their rotation.

Koloko joins Memphis after beginning the current season with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he made two brief appearances without scoring. He was waived in late November to open a roster spot for big man Drew Timme, ending a short stint that followed his re-signing with the Lakers during the summer.

Now in his third NBA season, the 6-foot-11, 225-pound center spent the 2024–25 campaign with Los Angeles, appearing in 37 games and averaging 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per contest.

Across his first two NBA seasons split between the Lakers and the Toronto Raptors, Koloko has appeared in 95 games, including 19 starts, while posting career averages of 2.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in 12 minutes per game. Drafted 33rd overall by Toronto in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Arizona, he showed promise during his rookie season by appearing in 58 games.

That momentum was halted when he was diagnosed with a blood clot issue, a serious medical concern that sidelined him and ultimately led to his being ruled unfit to play. The Raptors waived Koloko in January 2024, and his future in the league remained uncertain until he was medically cleared and officially reinstated in October 2024.

That clearance opened the door for his return, first with the Lakers and now with Memphis. For the Grizzlies, the signing is less about long-term planning and more about immediate survival.

Memphis is currently dealing with a rash of injuries that has disrupted continuity and limited lineup flexibility. Guards Scotty Pippen Jr. and Ty Jerome are both out long term with foot and calf injuries, respectively, further thinning the backcourt.

The post Banged-up Grizzlies signing ex-Lakers center waived a month ago appeared first on ClutchPoints.