The Los Angeles Lakers have star power in spades - LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and the rising Austin Reaves headline a roster that, on paper, should be a nightmare for opposing defenses. But as we hit the stretch run of the season, it’s clear this team still has some real questions to answer if they want to make a deep playoff push.
Yes, the Lakers lead the league in overall field-goal percentage at 49.9%, which speaks to their ability to generate high-quality looks. But that efficiency doesn’t extend beyond the arc.
They’re shooting just 34.9% from three, ranking 19th in the NBA - and in today’s game, that’s a problem. When defenses collapse on LeBron or Luka, you need shooters who can consistently punish them.
Right now, the Lakers haven’t been doing that at a high enough clip.
The bigger issue? Depth.
The Lakers’ bench ranks dead last in scoring. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team with championship aspirations, especially when your top three - LeBron, Dončić, and Reaves - have all missed chunks of time this season.
If that trio isn’t at full strength come playoff time, the supporting cast is going to have to step up in a big way.
Many expected the Lakers to be aggressive at the trade deadline, especially in pursuit of a reliable three-and-D wing to help balance the roster and give them a better shot at climbing the Western Conference standings. That didn’t quite happen - at least not in blockbuster fashion. But they did make a few under-the-radar moves that could quietly pay dividends.
Here are three players who could help tilt the balance for L.A. as the postseason approaches:
Luke Kennard
The lone trade deadline addition, Kennard brings one thing the Lakers desperately need: elite shooting. He’s currently leading the NBA in three-point percentage, and through his first two games in purple and gold, he’s already knocked down 50% of his attempts from deep.
No, Kennard isn’t going to lock down opposing wings on defense, but that’s not why he’s here. His job is to space the floor, knock down open looks, and make life easier for LeBron and Luka when they draw double teams. If he continues to shoot like this, he could be a major X-factor off the bench - especially in tight playoff games where every possession matters.
Kobe Bufkin
Bufkin’s situation is a bit more fluid. After a short 10-day stint with the Lakers, he’s back with the South Bay squad in the G League. But don’t let that fool you - the front office clearly sees potential here, evidenced by the two-year deal they gave him.
He didn’t get a ton of run in his four NBA appearances, logging real minutes in just two games. But in the G League, he’s been electric - leading the league with 27.7 points per game and showing real two-way chops with 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per outing.
If injuries open the door for him to rejoin the rotation, Bufkin could provide a scoring punch and some defensive energy off the bench. He’s still raw, but the upside is there.
Maxi Kleber
Kleber’s been flying under the radar, but he might be carving out a role at just the right time. Since arriving in L.A., he’s mostly come off the bench, but recent matchups against the Warriors and Sixers saw him play extended minutes - and he made the most of them, posting a +23 and +12 in the plus-minus column, respectively.
Kleber’s calling card has always been his ability to stretch the floor as a big, and that’s something the Lakers could really use more of. When he’s on the court, he gives the offense a different look - pulling opposing bigs away from the paint and opening up driving lanes for the stars. If he continues to earn more minutes, Kleber could quietly become a key piece in L.A.’s rotation.
The Lakers might not have made the splashiest moves at the deadline, but that doesn’t mean they’re standing still. With Kennard’s shooting, Bufkin’s potential, and Kleber’s versatility, L.A. has some intriguing pieces to work with as they gear up for the postseason grind. The top-heavy talent is still the engine, but if the bench can start pulling its weight, the Lakers could be a much tougher out than their current record suggests.