Lakers add Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones on Exhibit 10 after Latvian-Estonian Finals MVP run

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones to an Exhibit 10 contract, sources told reporters on Wednesday night. The move lands hours after Los Angeles announced a separate Exhibit 10 for guard Jahmir Young and a corresponding waiver of Cole Swider.

Kiwi forward Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones has signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources told ESPN. The 25-year-old recently averaged 15.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg, and 2.7 apg for Valmiera Glass VIA, winning the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League Championship and Final MVP.

— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) October 15, 2026

Olgun Uluc reported the agreement, citing sources. Unlike Young’s deal, which the club announced publicly, a corresponding roster move for Tait-Jones had not been detailed by the Lakers as of late Wednesday. Camp rosters can hold up to 21 players before opening-night cuts.

Who is Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones?

Tait-Jones, listed at 6-foot-6 and about 200 pounds, is a 25-year-old wing from Wellington, New Zealand. He went undrafted in 2025 after starring at UC San Diego, where he averaged 19.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists as a senior and won Big West Player of the Year plus Big West Tournament MVP. He spent his first three college seasons at Hawaii-Hilo before transferring to the Tritons.

After the draft he briefly appeared with Toronto in Summer League, then signed with Valmiera Glass VIA in Latvia. In 2025-26 he averaged about 15.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists while helping Valmiera win the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League title and taking Finals MVP honors. He also won the Latvian Cup and the domestic LBL championship.

Why the Lakers want another wing look

Los Angeles already worked him out before the 2025 draft. The Exhibit 10 structure gives the club a late-camp evaluation window and a clean path to Coachella Valley if he is waived before opening night. A player who clears waivers and then spends at least 60 days with the affiliate can earn an Exhibit 10 bonus of up to about $91,000 on top of G League pay.

Wednesday’s dual Exhibit 10 activity — Young for ball-handling depth and Tait-Jones for wing size — fits the usual preseason churn as teams fill final camp slots ahead of Friday’s exhibitions and the October 19 roster deadline (5 p.m. ET). Standard opening-night limits remain 15 players on standard contracts plus three two-way spots.

What comes next

Availability for Friday’s preseason finale depends on how quickly the paperwork clears and whether Los Angeles needs a corresponding cut to stay under the camp maximum. The likeliest long-term destination remains Coachella Valley unless he forces a two-way conversation in the final cutdown. Watch the waiver wire through October 19 for any matching move and for claim activity on earlier cuts such as Cam Christie and Trey Jemison III.