Opportunity Knocks in Las Vegas — Arthur Kaluma Is Answering the Call
They call America the land of opportunity, but in the NBA, that opportunity often lives in Las Vegas every July.
Summer League is where careers are launched, forgotten names become talking points, and players fight for every possession as if their future depends on it. For Arthur Kaluma, that future is starting to look a little brighter.
The Lakers entered Saturday’s matchup against the Mavericks shorthanded after Cameron Carr was ruled out shortly before tipoff. The unexpected opening gave Kaluma another chance to prove himself, and he made the most of it.
Kaluma was outstanding in the Lakers’ 91-70 win over Dallas, scoring a game-high 34 points on 11-of-16 shooting. He knocked down six of 10 attempts from three-point range and looked like the best player on the floor.
“It’s just his confidence,” Lakers Summer League coach Ty Abbott said. “And understanding of how to play without the ball in your hand. Last night was a situation where he’s finding windows, crashing, creating extra possessions, getting putbacks, tip-ins, and getting fouls. Today, he had some actions run for him and he was ready.”
Performances like this change conversations.
Before the weekend, Kaluma was just another Exhibit 10 player hoping to extend his basketball journey. Now, he’s becoming impossible for the Lakers to ignore.
The Lakers currently have all three of their two-way contracts occupied by Chris Mañon, AK Okereke and Peter Suder, so Kaluma doesn’t have an obvious path onto the roster. But Summer League has a way of forcing teams to rethink their plans.
While Mañon has shown flashes, Okereke and Suder have struggled to make a consistent impact in Las Vegas. Kaluma, meanwhile, is making a strong case that the Lakers should find room for him before another team does.
His breakout wasn’t limited to Saturday, either.
In the Lakers’ Summer League opener on Friday, Kaluma was perfect, making all five of his field-goal attempts while scoring 18 points. Saturday simply took his strong start to another level.
He wasted no time against Dallas, scoring the Lakers’ second basket after a smooth pump fake and a strong finish through contact. From there, he kept attacking the paint, finishing through defenders and stretching the Mavericks’ defense with two first-half three-pointers.
Kaluma isn’t new to the Lakers’ program. He spent last season with the South Bay Lakers and also appeared on the team’s Summer League roster. After a full year in the G League, he arrived in Las Vegas stronger, more confident and more polished.
“There’s a certain hunger that you have to have in order to be successful in the G League,” Kaluma said. “I feel like that drive pushed me into this summer to really get better and work on my game.”
Through two games in Las Vegas, Kaluma hasn’t just taken advantage of his opportunity. He’s forcing the Lakers to notice.
