The Los Angeles Lakers plan to sign center Carson Cooper to a two-way contract, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported Tuesday, citing league sources. The deal fills the two-way slot the Lakers opened earlier Tuesday when they waived Lawson Lovering.
Cooper, 22, went undrafted out of Michigan State in June and opened the season on a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, who waived him on Nov. 7. He appeared in one game for Memphis, a three-minute stint. As a senior at Michigan State in 2025-26, he started all 35 games he played and averaged 7.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 blocks while shooting 58.4% from the field and 78.8% from the free-throw line.
The move swaps one 7-foot development big for another. Chris Manon and Arthur Kaluma hold the Lakers’ other two two-way slots. A two-way player can be with the NBA club for up to 50 games in a season, so this is a depth-chart move behind Walker Kessler rather than a change to the active rotation.
What is not yet known: the Lakers have not announced the signing, and Scotto’s report says the team plans to sign Cooper, so the deal is not official until the Lakers confirm it. No terms beyond the two-way designation have been reported, and it has not been reported whether Cooper will be under contract in time for Wednesday’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Leave a Reply