The Lakers’ roster shuffle on Wednesday came with a clear message: they needed help in the middle, and they needed it fast.
Hours before facing the LA Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back, Los Angeles signed Lawson Lovering to a two-way contract and waived rookie AK Okereke, according to Michael Scotto of Hoopshype.com. The move arrived as the Lakers listed multiple absences, including MVP candidate Luka Doncic, who was diagnosed with back tightness.
That decision also fits the shape of what the Lakers have been dealing with lately. They’re coming off a 136-129 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, a game that exposed issues on the glass and on defense. Behind Walker Kessler, the team has had a hard time locking down reliable backup center minutes, and the front office appears to be addressing that gap directly.
Lovering does come with the usual two-way limitations on how many games he can be active for, but he seems to answer a roster need Los Angeles has been circling for a while. The Lakers have already experimented with Sandro Mamukelashvili in a small-ball center role and have also leaned on veteran big man Kevon Looney, yet the search for a true backup center has remained obvious.
Under JJ Redick, the Lakers have made regular use of their two-way spots, so Lovering should have a real chance to get on the floor.
The 23-year-old has already had a brief taste of the NBA, appearing in two games for the Memphis Grizzlies last season on a 10-day contract. He played just over 24 minutes per game in those outings and posted 7.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 60 percent from the field.
Lovering went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft after college stops at Colorado and Utah, and he started his pro career with the Memphis Hustle, the Grizzlies’ G League affiliate.
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Morant took issue with his own call afterward, saying he had simply raised his hands and absorbed contact, and he planned to try to get it overturned. Portland left with the win and moved to 3-0, while the Lakers dropped to 3-1, a result that will leave plenty of attention on the sequence rather than just the final score. [Read more 🡒]