The Los Angeles Lakers waived forward William Kyle III on Friday, one day after a preseason win over the Sacramento Kings, and signed undrafted rookie Rafael Castro to fill the spot.
The Lakers beat the Kings 114-110 on Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena. Kyle played three minutes in the game, scoring two points on 1-for-2 shooting from the field and recording one block.
Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation reported the roster move, writing: “The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Rafael Castro. In a corresponding move, the team has waived forward William Kyle III.”
Castro is a 23-year-old, 6-foot-10 center who averaged 15.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.7 blocks per game last season at George Washington. He shot 62.7 percent from the field in 29 games, all starts.
He was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Second Team and All-Defensive Team for the second straight year. Castro also finished as a finalist for the Lefty Driesell National Defensive Player of the Year Award.
After going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, Castro signed a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets in late August. The Rockets waived him on Oct. 1.
Kyle, who is 6-foot-9, spent his senior season at Syracuse after earlier stints at South Dakota State and UCLA. He averaged 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 66.1 percent from the field in 32 games.
His blocks total ranked among the national leaders, and he led the ACC in that category. Kyle had signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Lakers in late September for training camp evaluation.
The Lakers can carry up to 21 players on their training camp roster but must reduce to 15 standard contracts by the start of the regular season. Exhibit 10 deals often lead to G League assignments if a player is waived.
Castro’s arrival gives coach JJ Redick another athletic big to assess in the final two preseason games. Frontcourt depth has been a priority after the team’s offseason moves.
The Lakers were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs. That series ended their season after they finished as the No. 4 seed in the West.
Los Angeles opens the 2026-27 regular season on Oct. 21 at home against the Golden State Warriors. The team has been building around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves following LeBron James’ departure.
Both Kyle and Castro project as potential contributors for the South Bay Lakers in the G League if they do not stick with the parent club. Exhibit 10 contracts can include a bonus of up to about $91,000 for players who spend significant time with the affiliate.
The Lakers have two preseason contests left to continue evaluating their roster before finalizing the group that will take the floor on opening night.
