Lakers Acquired G League Rights to Center Cheikh Mbacke Diong
The Los Angeles organization secured the player's rights in a trade with the Birmingham Squadron.
Updated on Oct. 7, 2026 in Basketball
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The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired the G League returning player rights to 6-foot-11 center Cheikh Mbacke Diong. In exchange, the Lakers traded the G League rights to forward Solomon Young to the Birmingham Squadron.
Why it matters
This trade adjusts the roster composition for the Lakers' G League affiliate as they prepare for the upcoming 2026-27 season. Adding Diong provides the organization with additional size and depth in their developmental pipeline.
Cheikh Mbacke Diong stands 6-foot-11 and has appeared in 31 career G League games. He has averaged 2.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 10.4 minutes played per contest during his developmental career.
The players
Cheikh Mbacke Diong
He is a 6-foot-11 basketball center who previously played in the Basketball Africa League.
Los Angeles Lakers
This professional NBA organization is based in Los Angeles and manages multiple developmental affiliates.
Birmingham Squadron
This team is the G League affiliate that participated in the trade with the Lakers organization.
Solomon Young
He is a professional forward whose G League returning player rights were traded to the Birmingham Squadron.
Coachella Valley Lakers
This team serves as the relocated G League affiliate for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The details
The Lakers secured the rights to Diong from the Birmingham Squadron in a direct player-for-player exchange involving forward Solomon Young. Diong, who went undrafted in 2022, is expected to compete for a roster spot with the relocated Coachella Valley Lakers.
Timeline
2022: Cheikh Mbacke Diong went undrafted in the NBA Draft.
October 21, 2025: South Bay Lakers acquired Cheikh Mbacke Diong.
2024-25 and 2025-26: Cheikh Mbacke Diong played in the Basketball Africa League.
2026-27: Coachella Valley Lakers start their season.
October 7, 2026: The Lakers acquired Cheikh Mbacke Diong's rights.
The Stats
This move follows the standard procedural framework established by the NBA G League's returning player rights system to facilitate team roster adjustments during the off-season. Such trades are integral to how organizations maintain control over developmental prospects as they move through the league's pipeline.
The acquisition of Diong provides the Coachella Valley Lakers with a 6-foot-11 presence in the paint for the 2026-27 season. This move signals a strategic shift in the team's interior depth compared to last year's roster composition.
The takeaway
Roster fluidity is a constant feature of the G League as teams work to optimize their developmental pipelines. Fans should watch for how the addition of size in the paint impacts the team's defensive and rebounding metrics this year.
Further reading
For more updates on local player developments, visit Basketball.
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