Lakers waive Lawson Lovering, sign Carson Cooper to two-way deal

The Los Angeles Lakers have changed centers on their two-way roster again. They waived Lawson Lovering on Tuesday and filled his spot with Carson Cooper, an undrafted rookie who had just been let go by the Memphis Grizzlies. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported the deal first, as Silver Screen and Roll noted, and the club later made it official on Lakers.com.

Lovering's stay was short. He signed on October 28 and, according to Lakers Wire, played three total minutes across two games with one rebound to show for it. He didn't spend any time with G League Coachella Valley either. The two men have now traded places twice. Hoops Rumors points out that Cooper got his Memphis two-way deal in September after the Grizzlies cut Lovering. Memphis then waived Cooper over the weekend to make room for Richie Saunders.

The team lists Cooper at 6-foot-11 and 245 pounds. He is 22 and from Jackson, Michigan, and he played 137 games in four years at Michigan State. As a senior he averaged 11.1 points and 7.1 rebounds on 58.4 percent shooting. In nine Summer League games he put up 7.2 points and 4.6 rebounds, and his NBA résumé so far is one three-minute appearance for Memphis. Fadeaway World reports that he joins Chris Manon and Arthur Kaluma on two-way deals. CBS Sports does not expect him to crack the rotation, and Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll called the recent moves "break-in-case-of-emergency solutions."

The Lakers clearly still want more size behind their main bigs. This is the second time in about two weeks they have used the same two-way spot on a center. Still, it is a move at the edge of the roster for a team that has been winning without one.

What it means for Milwaukee

Cooper is unlikely to factor in Wednesday at the Milwaukee Bucks. The Lakers come in at 10-2 with six straight wins, all since a 112-95 loss at Golden State. In that run they have averaged about 125.7 points and allowed about 115.5. The last three wins were closer, by 10 at Atlanta, 5 at Detroit and 6 against Portland. The road trip has gone well too. Los Angeles is 5-1 away from home, and the only road loss is the one at Golden State.

The board for the game covers 12 venues and makes the Lakers heavy favorites. Novig has them at -545 on the moneyline and Milwaukee at +506. The spread varies by a full point. Novig has the Lakers at -12.5 at +102, and the best Lakers number anywhere is BetRivers at -11.5 for -104. Novig sets the total at 232.5, with the over at +104 and the under at -106. Sportsbook hold runs from 3.0 to 5.5 percent on the spread and from 3.9 to 5.7 percent on the moneyline.

On a roster this deep in wins, the night likely turns on the regulars. If Cooper appears at all, it will probably be in the final minutes of a game that is already decided.