The Los Angeles Lakers have a glaring hole in the frontcourt.
Outside of starting center Walker Kessler , the Lakers' situation at center remains concerning. Kevon Looney has not worked out as hoped early in the season, only intensifying their need for a reliable backup center.
With that in mind, the Lakers signed big man Lawson Lovering to a two-way deal.MichaelScottoof HoopsHypeshared the news on Wednesday .
More than 24 hours later, thedetails of thedeal were revealed.
According to Keith Smith of Spotrac , Lovering's two-way deal is for two years.
Before the Lakers signed Lovering to a two-way deal, they had to waive one of their three current two-way players; the odd man out was forward AK Okereke.
Lovering, 23, hails from Wyoming and played his college ball for Colorado and Utah. After the 2025 season, the 7-foot center went undrafted and landed with the Memphis Grizzlies' G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle.
With the Hustle, Lovering averaged 8.9 points and 7.8 rebounds in 13 games. In February 2026, Lovering signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies. He played in only two games in Memphis, averaging 7.0 points per game, 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks.
In over 30 games with the Hustle, Lovering averaged 7.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 0.7 steals in 26.8 minutes per tilt.
Before the 2026-27 season began, Lovering signed a contract with the Grizzlies. It was an Exhibit 10 deal.
A month later, Lovering finds himself with the Lakers and could potentially play a key role for the team.
Lovering will start his Lakers tenure with their G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers. However, given how the Lakers' backup-center situation is shaking up, it wouldn't be a surprise if he plays for the NBA squad sooner rather than later.
Two-way contracts can last for up to two years, and they cannot include options, extensions or signing bonuses.
Two-way players can be active for up to 50 regular-season NBA games per season. It's unclear how long Lovering will be with the club under these circumstances, but if that remains the case throughout the season, he will not be eligible to play in the playoffs.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/lakers/onsi as New Details Emerge on Lakers' Lawson Lovering Contract .
