The Los Angeles Lakers have officially added center Lawson Lovering to their roster, signing him to a two-way contract and waiving AK Okereke to make space. The move aims to address the team's need for additional depth at the big-man position behind starter Walker Kessler.
When asked for a scouting report on the 7-foot-7 addition, Lakers coach JJ Redick provided a concise and humorous seven-word assessment. "I know his name is Lawson Lovering," Redick quipped, adding that he learned of the signing at the same time reporters did.
Lovering joins the Lakers after spending the 2025-26 season with the Memphis Grizzlies organization, playing for both their G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, and the NBA team. In the G League, he averaged 7.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocked shots per game, shooting 59.2% from the field. He appeared in two NBA games for the Grizzlies last season.
A front office member from another NBA team described Lovering as a center with good size, a strong screening ability, and underrated passing skills, noting that he understands his role on the court. This individual also considered him "one of the better G League bigs that’s two-way eligible."
Lovering entered the league undrafted in 2025 after playing college basketball at Colorado from 2021 to 2023 and Utah from 2023 to 2025.