Lakers sign Carson Cooper to a two-way contract and waive Lawson Lovering, as the two centers swap places again

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed center Carson Cooper to a two-way contract and waived two-way center Lawson Lovering to open the spot, swapping one young big man for another less than two weeks after Lovering arrived.

OFFICIAL: Lakers sign Carson Cooper to a two-way contract. pic.twitter.com/zGFImFUE7I

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 11, 2026

The team made both moves official at 4:01 p.m. PT Tuesday (2:01 a.m. Cairo time Wednesday). Michael Scotto was first to report the Lovering waiver and the plan to add Cooper earlier that afternoon.

A swap with a familiar twist

The two centers have now traded places twice this fall. In late September, the Memphis Grizzlies cut Lovering from a training camp deal and gave Cooper a two-way contract. Memphis then waived Cooper on Saturday to make room for No. 32 pick Richie Saunders. Cooper cleared waivers, and the Lakers picked him up as a free agent on the same day they let Lovering go.

Los Angeles signed him on Oct. 28, waiving AK Okereke to make room. He made two brief appearances before the team decided to move on.

Who the Lakers added

• Cooper is 22, stands 6-foot-11 and weighs 245 pounds. He is from Jackson, Michigan.
• He went undrafted in June after four seasons at Michigan State. As a senior in 2025-26 he started all 35 games and averaged 11.1 points on 58.4% shooting, 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 blocks in 26.8 minutes, helping the Spartans reach the Sweet 16.
• Across 137 college games, 43 of them starts, he averaged 5.4 points and 4.5 rebounds in 17.2 minutes.
• His only NBA action so far came in one game with Memphis this season, a three-minute stint.

Who lost the spot

Lovering, 23, is a 7-footer who went undrafted out of Utah in 2025. He spent last season with the Memphis Hustle in the G League, averaging 7.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 26.8 minutes over 30 games, and played two NBA games for the Grizzlies on a 10-day contract in February.

Any team can claim Lovering during the 48-hour waiver period. If nobody does, he becomes a free agent.

The Lakers’ two-way room

Cooper joins Chris Manon and Arthur Kaluma in the Lakers’ three two-way seats. Two-way players can be active for up to 50 NBA regular-season games and spend the rest of their time in the G League, where the Lakers’ affiliate plays in the Coachella Valley. The Lakers visit the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.