The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the basketball world at the trade deadline by acquiring Luka Doncic.
The 25-year-old superstar suited up for two games for the Lakers before the All-Star break, and the fans can’t wait to see more of the Doncic-James duo for the rest of the season.
The rest of the season will also be a crucial time for a few Lakers.
This is a new-look Lakers and players have to figure out how to fit around Doncic and James to be an important part of the rotation and stay on the team beyond this season. Let’s take a look at five players with the most to prove after the All-Star break.
1. Jaxson Hayes
After the Anthony Davis trade, Jaxson Hayes has been pushed into a larger role with the team. He has started the last seven games and has played over 20 minutes in each of those starts until the last game against the Jazz, in which he only played for seven minutes.
The fact that Hayes saw his minutes cut significantly in the first game Len suited up for the Lakers is not a good sign for his future.
On paper, Hayes is a good fit to play next to Luka Doncic. He is a solid rim runner and lob threat. He can finish around the rim and has decent length. Yet, he is not the defensive force the Lakers need from that position.
While Hayes can protect the rim, he is not strong enough against the best centers. He is also not a good enough defender to switch and survive on the perimeter. Considering that he is a one-dimensional finisher on the offensive end, there is simply not much Hayes brings to the table.
Hayes is on an expiring contract and is playing for his job in the final two months of the season. If he can’t make a consistent impact in his minutes, the Lakers will surely look to replace him in the offseason.
2. Alex Len
Even though Len just joined the Lakers, he is already on thin ice. Los Angeles desperately needs more frontcourt help, and if Len isn’t the answer, he may find himself quickly marginalized.
In his first appearance with the Lakers, the veteran center played 22 minutes. He put up four points, seven rebounds, and two assists in his minutes. The team lost those minutes by nine against the Jazz.
Len has the size and length that the Lakers lack. He can be a deterrent at the rim and can provide physicality inside the paint. At the same time, he has certain shortcomings that make him difficult to trust at the highest level.
JJ Redick likes to play a switching scheme defensively. Len isn’t the fastest center out on the perimeter. He has athletic deficiencies that make it hard for him to stay in front of smaller players. He has never been the most versatile defender.
Redick will heavily rely on small-ball lineups with Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Dorian Finney-Smith all playing center at times. If these units do well for the rest of the season, both Len and Hayes may see their roles reduced.
While Len could contribute in the short run, it’s hard to see him becoming a long-term solution for the Lakers. There is a very good chance he will be a one-and-done in Los Angeles, with the team looking for upgrades in the offseason.
3. Dalton Knecht
The Lakers already tried to trade Knecht at the deadline. After the Mark Williams deal was rescinded, Knecht came back to Los Angeles and will be with the team for the final stretch of the season.
The fact that the Lakers already tried to move on from the rookie shows how they feel about Knecht. The 23-year-old was admittedly distraught after coming back to Los Angeles following the voided trade. How he will feel about being a Laker, mentally and psychologically going forward, remains to be seen.
Plus, Knecht is not the best fit on this Lakers team. He is a solid shooter, but he is not an elite marksman. His 36% accuracy from downtown is not elite enough to compensate for his shortcomings in other areas.
The Lakers have no good defensive centers after Anthony Davis’ departure and already play Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic for extensive minutes on the perimeter. LeBron James is not as good consistently on the defensive side of the ball as he once was. With all these defensive shortcomings already on the roster, the Lakers can’t have Knecht creating even more defensive issues.
Unless Knecht improves on that end of the floor, he will likely see a reduction in his role and could even see himself traded again in the offseason.
4. Gabe Vincent
After having a lost campaign in his first season with the Lakers due to injuries, Vincent is healthy and contributing this season.
He has appeared in 44 games already, starting in six, and averaging 20.4 minutes per game.
At the same time, he is still nowhere near the level of player the Lakers thought they were getting when they signed Vincent to a three-year, $33 million contract.
In 55 games as a Laker, Vincent has only made 31.4% of his threes. Considering the fact that he never gets to the free-throw line or has almost no inside-the-arc game, that is simply not good enough. For the season, Vincent has only ten free-throw attempts, demonstrating his lack of drive game and scoring threat.
The 28-year-old guard is still one of the better defenders on the team. He can get over screens and guard multiple positions.
He adds some defensive versatility and intensity to a team that desperately needs it.
How limited he is offensively, however, will likely cap his minutes come the postseason. He either needs to start hitting more of his threes, or the Lakers will have to look for upgrades in the offseason.
5. Austin Reaves
This is certainly unfair for Austin Reaves, who is in the midst of the best season of his career.
He has taken his game to the next level in recent weeks and increased his averages to 19.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.2 assists per game on solid efficiency with 59.6% True Shooting.
The reason Reaves is on thin ice has nothing to do with his individual performance and everything to do with the Luka Doncic trade.
With Doncic and LeBron James as the primary ball handlers and shot creators on the Lakers, Reaves is relatively superfluous.
Yes, he is still a valuable player, especially leading the bench units, or if one of Doncic or James is missing time. However, he is not the best fit next to the two superstars.
Reaves is a defensive liability. He is improved on that end of the floor, but he still gets attacked constantly.
With Doncic already creating defensive issues, the Lakers simply can’t afford another player with the defensive shortcomings that Reaves has.
This is especially true now that the Lakers don’t have an elite rim protector.
Doncic and James thrive playing next to players with elite three-and-D abilities. Players who don’t need the ball to be effective are needed when you have Doncic and James running the show.
A better shooter and defender than Reaves is a better fit for this Lakers team as it is currently constructed.
Plus, Reaves has a ton of trade value, thanks to his age and contract. As the most valuable remaining trade chip on the roster, unless he shows significant defensive improvements in the final stretch of the season, Reaves may be gone in the offseason.
