The Los Angeles Lakers are one week away from playing Playoff basketball, currently locked into either the No. 4 or No. 5 seed for the postseason. The franchise is a dark horse contender after proving over March that they can go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the NBA. However, a recent injury crisis that has sidelined Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves has them struggling in April. Nonetheless, the team is heading into the postseason with high hopes.
The franchise made a roster decision on Friday, releasing guard Kobe Bufkin and opening up a roster spot they can fill by Saturday for a player they can use in the Playoffs. There aren’t many good options available to the franchise, especially this late in the season, but they definitely can use this spot in a good way. Bufkin averaged 2.9 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 16 games with the Lakers.
The Lakers have multiple needs across their roster. They need guards to help offset the impact of Doncic and Reaves’ absence while also needing a big man option beyond Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes. Thankfully, they can now get on the market and see if a late-season signing can boost the team in any way for the postseason.
Let’s analyze five players the Lakers should take a look at for their final roster spot before the NBA Playoffs.
1. Drew Timme
The first player we’re taking a look at is already on the Lakers roster, but on a two-way contract. Timme is averaging 3.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 25 games on the Lakers this season, showing that he can be impactful in the limited minutes he’s gotten. Timme has shown the ability to play in any position in the frontcourt while absorbing coach JJ Redick’s instructions and executing them cleanly. Given the spats Redick has had with players on the roster over coaching instructions, Timme might be a welcome change.
Timme would slot in as a third option center behind Ayton and Hayes. However, he might have more utility as a power forward in a big lineup than as a standalone center. It’s hard to imagine him getting much burn in the Playoffs, but he might be an option coach Redick would like to have on his bench, given the inconsistent production of his centers. Timme would fight with Maxi Kleber for minutes in the frontcourt, which might just be a luxury and not a necessity for the franchise.
2. Nick Smith Jr.
Another player on a two-way contract with the Lakers is Nick Smith Jr. The former lottery pick has been on the Lakers all season, performing his two-way duties for the main team and the G League squad. Smith Jr. has averaged 6.0 points and 1.1 assists in 28 games with the Lakers this season, playing limited minutes in specific situations. It’s well-known that Smith Jr. can be a microwave scorer and put forth defensive effort in his minutes. There are issues with his defensive production, but he doesn’t lack effort.
The Lakers have a scoring void in their lineup with the absence of Doncic and Reaves, and they haven’t found a solution. Relying on LeBron James‘ production is a short-term fix, as the 41-year-old will need more supplemental help to help tide the team over in the Playoffs until Doncic or Reaves are made available. Smith Jr. could fill that role and is already familiar with what Redick would want from him on-court.
3. Malik Beasley
The midseason addition of Luke Kennard has been transformational for the Lakers, as the average-shooting team now looks like a dangerous squad from outside. Having shooters next to playmakers like Doncic and LeBron is always a good thing, and the Lakers have realized that with the success they’ve had since Kennard joined the team. There’s a shooter on the market that might be an even better sniper than Kennard, and he has history with the Lakers.
Malik Beasley averaged 16.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.7 assists in his last full season in the NBA, shooting a ridiculous shooting 41.3% from three on 9.3 attempts per game for the Detroit Pistons. While a gambling scandal forced him out of the league this season, Beasley is back playing pro basketball in Puerto Rico. He might not be as sharp as he was for the Pistons last season, but having a shooter like Beasley on the roster will lead to good things for the Lakers. His last stint with the team wasn’t successful, but all three-point specialists who have played with Doncic have succeeded, and Beasley could have the same chance.
4. Cam Thomas
The story of Cam Thomas this season has been bizarre. The 24-year-old guard was waived twice in the matter of two months, first by the Brooklyn Nets and then by the Milwaukee Bucks. This is a player who averaged 24.0 points over the season last year, so he is still a high-level scorer who has lost his way in the NBA. He averaged just 13.5 points this season under tenuous circumstances on both the teams he was on. If Thomas gets an opportunity to be a bench scorer on the Lakers, who have struggled with bench production all season, it could be great.
The Lakers don’t need the profile of a player like Thomas on their roster, given they have three high-volume scorers in Doncic, Reaves, and James. However, having Thomas available to fill out rotational minutes and carry the scoring load without the star trio would be a huge advantage in the Playoffs. He might be more valuable at the start of the postseason if Doncic and Reaves aren’t cleared for Game 1 of the first round, as Thomas’ scoring will be a necessity for the franchise and not a luxury, as it will be when they’re fully healthy.
5. Cole Anthony
Cole Anthony has found himself without an NBA roster to call home really quickly. The 25-year-old averaged 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists last season for the Orlando Magic before signing a minimum contract with the Bucks this season, averaging 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists before getting waived. Anthony has questionable utility in the league right now as an imperfect shooter. However, his ability as an on-ball scorer and capable defender has quickly been forgotten as he’s fallen out of favor in the NBA.
Anthony could be a great replacement guard option for the Lakers, given their current situation. He’d likely be a regular DNP receiver when the team is healthy, but he could be an option to help the team fill out guard minutes, given their current injury crisis. Anthony’s production would likely surpass what the Lakers got from Gabe Vincent all season, so we can’t dismiss this move without considering the Lakers’ need for an NBA-caliber backup guard.
