South Bay Lakers Acquire Returning Player Rights to Chris Silva and Jake Stephens

The South Bay Lakers have acquired the returning player rights to forward Chris Silva and center Jake Stephens, as well as a first round pick in the 2024 NBA G League Draft via a three-team trade. In return, South Bay sent the returning player rights to forward Joirdon Nicholas to the College Park Skyhawks and its own 2025 first round, second round and international draft picks to the Texas Legends.

Silva (6'8", 234) appeared in 41 showcase and regular season games (37 starts) in the 2023-24 campaign with College Park, averaging 17.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 blocks in 27.0 minutes. In his G League career, the Libreville, Gabon native has appeared in 112 career games (103 starts), averaging 16.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 blocks in 26.3 minutes across four seasons with College Park (2022-24), Iowa (2021-22) and Sioux Falls (2019-20). Additionally, the 28-year-old has appeared in 70 career NBA games for Dallas (2022-23), Minnesota (2021-22), Sacramento (2020-21) and Miami (2019-22), averaging 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 7.6 minutes. Silva most recently played for Dallas' 2024 summer league team where he appeared in four games and averaged 4.3 points and 3.5 rebounds in 11.5 minutes. 

Stephens (6'11", 270) appeared in 41 games (seven starts) for the Capital City Go-Go and Stockton Kings in 2023-24, averaging 7.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 16.7 minutes. The 25-year-old recently suited up for Charlotte's 2024 summer league team where he appeared in eight games (six starts) and averaged 11.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.1 blocks in 21.5 minutes.