Lakers sign Lovering, but the center problem is still one injury away from a crisis

The Lakers agreed to a two-way deal with center Lawson Lovering on Wednesday, a move the front office had to make. Walker Kessler has been the only center logging real minutes all season, and the roster analysis has flagged that gap since before the opener — I noted it when they waived Dalton Knecht in October and again after the debut win over Golden State. Lovering at least puts a second body at the position.

That said, a two-way deal comes with availability limits, and Lovering isn't walking in as a rotation anchor. The Lakers were also interested in Pete Nance after Milwaukee released him, per reports, but Nance re-signed with the Bucks. So the market has been thin, and this is what was available.

The timing is worth noting. Luka Doncic sat out Wednesday against the Clippers with back tightness, and Ziaire Williams was also out with a foot issue. On a night when the offense was already shorthanded, the last thing this team needs is Kessler picking up foul trouble or a tweak with no credible backup behind him. Lovering doesn't fix that vulnerability entirely, but he at least means the position isn't completely bare.

My read is this is a stopgap, not a solution. The Lakers acknowledged the need; they just haven't filled it in any durable way yet.