Redick says he only knows Lawson Lovering's name

The Los Angeles Lakers have added Lawson Lovering to their roster on a two-way contract. Head coach JJ Redick gave a very brief answer when asked what the new center could bring to the team, saying he only knew the player's name. To open a roster spot, the Lakers waived 23-year-old AK Okereke.

Standing 2.13 meters tall, Lovering was not selected in the 2025 NBA Draft. Last season, he appeared in two NBA games for the Memphis Grizzlies. In those games, he averaged 7.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 24.5 minutes, shooting 60 percent from the field.

The young player's best performance came against the Utah Jazz, where he posted 11 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists in 32 minutes. Lovering played college basketball at Colorado and Utah before joining Memphis' G League affiliate. In February, he signed a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies.

Re-added to Memphis' roster ahead of the 2026/27 season, Lovering was released in late September. With the Lakers' move, a new option has been added to a long rotation that includes Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney.