The Los Angeles Lakers added former UCLA and Syracuse big man William Kyle III on an Exhibit 10 contract the night of the 2026 NBA Draft. The move joins the No. 24 overall pick Cameron Carr, Vanderbilt wing AK Okereke and Miami (OH) guard Peter Suder, who each signed two-way deals, and expands a batch of low-cost talent the club brought in after the draft.

Kyle entered his senior season at Syracuse as a starter in 32 games, averaging 8.4 points on 66.1 percent shooting, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per contest. His block rate ranked second in the ACC and eighth nationally, underscoring a defensive presence that was virtually absent during his two-year stint at UCLA, where he logged just 9.6 minutes, 2.9 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in 2024-25.

At 6-9 and 230 pounds, Kyle provides the Lakers with a rim-protecting interior option that can develop alongside Anthony Davis. His size allows him to contest shots without sacrificing mobility, fitting the stretch-big profile the franchise has flirted with in recent free-agency moves. The Exhibit 10 structure also gives him a bonus for staying with the South Bay Lakers, the organization’s G League affiliate, where he can sharpen pick-and-roll defense and adapt to the spacing concepts emphasized by LeBron James and the coaching staff.

The signing reflects a broader Lakers strategy of stacking the roster with inexpensive developmental pieces after a draft that yielded only one first-round selection. By locking up Kyle, the front office secures a player who could convert to a two-way contract before the preseason roster deadline, adding depth without impacting the luxury-tax calculations. The flexibility is especially valuable as the club seeks to shore up interior defense when Davis rests.

Kyle will report to the Lakers’ Summer League roster in July. A solid performance could earn him a two-way deal; a modest showing would likely relegate him to the G League for further seasoning. Either path gives Los Angeles a chance to evaluate his ability to translate a block-heavy college game into the faster, more physical NBA environment, and to determine whether he can become the low-budget, high-upside piece the Lakers have been missing in recent rebuilds.