The Los Angeles Lakers waived Rafael Castro and Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones following the team's final preseason game on Oct.
16, 2026.
The moves clear two roster spots as Los Angeles prepares for the 2026-27 NBA season.
Both players had signed Exhibit 10 contracts shortly before joining the franchise, according to reports from Yahoo Sports and BasketNews published Oct.
17.
Neither was expected to secure a regular-season role, and their departures came as the team approached its roster deadline.
Short Preseason Stints for Both Players
Castro, a 6-foot-10, 224-pound forward-center, appeared in two preseason games for Los Angeles.
The Providence graduate recorded two points, three rebounds and one assist in 10 minutes against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.
He then collected two rebounds in six minutes against Denver on Friday, according to Yahoo Sports.
The 23-year-old went undrafted in 2026 after spending his final two college seasons at George Washington.
BasketNews reported that he initially signed a two-way contract with the Milwaukee Bucks after the draft and played for their Summer League team.
Milwaukee waived him in August, and he signed another two-way deal with the Houston Rockets on Aug. 26.
Houston released him on Oct. 1, opening the way for his brief Lakers stint.
Tait-Jones arrived in Los Angeles after an accomplished season in Europe.
The 25-year-old went undrafted in 2025 and averaged 15.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while playing for Valmiera Glass VIA, according to BasketNews.
He helped the Latvian club win the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League championship and the Latvian Cup, earning Finals MVP honors in the league competition.
Yahoo Sports reported that Tait-Jones made 29 starts in the Latvian-Estonian Basketball League during the 2026 season.
He also earned Big West Player of the Year honors in 2025 while playing college basketball at UC San Diego and later represented the Toronto Raptors in Summer League.
Knecht Emerges as Possible Departure
With two roster spots opened, Los Angeles must still address the limit on standard NBA contracts before the season begins.
Yahoo Sports identified third-year wing Dalton Knecht as a potential departure amid changes to the team's wing rotation and reported trade interest surrounding the player.
Lakers coach JJ Redick attributed Knecht's reduced role to changes in the roster and the team's needs.
Redick said the player had improved over his first two seasons but faced a more difficult situation after Los Angeles added several wings during the offseason.
"I think the biggest thing is the team changed," Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. "The team changed.
Needs changed, the fit changed."
"I think he's gotten better as a player the last two years. I think, particularly last year, each guy got plenty of opportunities with the injuries we had.
I just think coming into this year, we added a lot of wings and he's in a tough spot right now."
According to Yahoo Sports, the Lakers faced a Monday deadline to reduce their 16-player standard-contract roster to 15.
Los Angeles was scheduled to open its regular season against the Golden State Warriors at 7 p. m.
Pacific time.
Separately, the Lakers' newly relocated G League affiliate, Coachella Valley, traded center Malik Williams' returning-player rights to the Austin Spurs.
The deal brought back the rights to Stanley Umude, Micah Potter, Isaiah Miller and James Banks III, according to the G League Transactions Portal as reported by Heavy on Oct.
17.
The transaction gives the Lakers control of the four players' G League rights if they return to the league but does not guarantee they will play for Coachella Valley.
Williams averaged 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.2 blocks in 17 appearances for the Lakers' previous G League affiliate during the 2025-26 season.
He also shot 36.9% from three-point range on six attempts per game.
Williams had subsequently joined the San Antonio Spurs on an Exhibit 10 training camp contract after representing the Chicago Bulls in Summer League.
Heavy also reported that Boston's G League affiliate, Maine, traded Kendall Brown's returning-player rights to Austin on Oct.
15.
Maine acquired the rights to Osayi Osifo, Donovan Williams and Christian Koloko in that deal.
These transactions reflect ongoing changes to developmental rosters ahead of the new season, while the Lakers' immediate NBA roster priority remains finalizing their 15-player lineup.
