An hour and a half before the Lakers started their win over the Clippers at Intuit Dome, the team officially added a player to its roster to hopefully address its glaring big-man problem.
And it sounds like JJ Redick will have some homework to do coming out of the back-to-back set on the latest addition.
The Lakers announced on Wednesday that they signed Lawson Lovering to a two-way contract, waiving AK Okereke to create a roster spot for Lovering.
When asked for a scouting report on the Lakers’ newest addition and how the 7-footer can help the team’s frontcourt in light of the Lakers having a desperate need of another big man behind starter Walker Kessler, Redick had a comical seven-word response.
“I know his name is Lawson Lovering,” Redick said before laughing, adding that he found out about the team adding the big man when reporters did.
Lovering spent 2025-26 with the Grizzlies, playing for the organization’s G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, and NBA team.
He averaged 7.7 points (59.2% shooting), 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 blocked shots in the G League last season.
Lovering played in two NBA games for the Grizzlies last season.
He went undrafted in 2025 after spending his collegiate career at Colorado (2021–2023) and Utah (2023–2025).
A front office member of another NBA team described the big man to the California Post as a center with good size, a really good screener, an underrated passer and a player who knows their role.
“To me,” the front office member said, “he’s one of the better G League bigs that’s two-way eligible.”
For Redick and the Lakers’ sake, hopefully that’s the first impression Lovering makes.
