As the Lakers prepare for the final stretch of the regular season, JJ Redick will shorten the rotation and GM Rob Pelinka is expected to cut anyone who doesn’t have a place. According to Lakers insider Jovan Buha, the only players in jeopardy of being waived this season are Alex Len and Cam Reddish.
“They’re not waving [Markieff Morris], they’re not waving Bronny James, and they’re not waving [Maxi] Kleber, as he still has another year left at $11 million. I think the roster is going to remain the same outside of potentially waving Len and Reddish, and again, they have to wave one of them for Jordan Goodwin,” Buha said. “I think they should waive another one for [Trey] Jemison or [Christian] Koloko, so it’s probably going to be two, not three.”
The Lakers have been battling all season for a top-six seed in the West and they are on track so far with a 43-26 record. They are tied with the Nuggets and just 1.5 games ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies. With just 13 games left to play this season, the Lakers are preparing for an intense playoff run, and not everyone will be along for the ride.
Right now, LeBron James and Luka Doncic are the only true untouchables but Rob Pelinka is otherwise happy with the roster. They are keeping Maxi Kleber because of his contract, they will keep Morris as a steady rotation player, and they will keep Bronny James for obvious reasons.
The Lakers are also expected to keep Trey Jemison III and Christian Koloko, who have both been able to contribute to quality wins this season. All that leaves is Cam Reddish and Alex Len, who have been underachieving with the Lakers this season.
Reddish, 25, has been a Laker since the 2023-24 campaign after he signed over from the Trail Blazers. He was one of Darvin Ham’s favorite players last season, averaging 20.5 minutes in 26 starts with the team. Under Reddick, however, Cam has struggled to find his place.
This season, in 33 games, he’s averaging 3.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game on 40.4% shooting. On his fourth team in five years, Reddish seems to struggle with consistency and unless he can elevate his game and impact on the floor, he may be experiencing his last days as a Laker.
Alex Len is an interesting case. He was signed after the deadline after the team rescinded the trade for Mark Williams. Expectations were low for Alex but he’s clearly a third-string center at best and his impact on the floor is often minimal (2.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists). He’s slowly been phased out of Redick’s rotation, and many fans believe Christian Koloko is a better option in the frontcourt.
We’re now in the final stretch of the regular season and the Lakers need to start getting into playoff form. By finalizing their roster and shedding anyone who doesn’t fit, they can ensure everyone has a place and properly plays their role for the team.
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