Lakers’ Depth Issues Loom Large as Playoff Push Begins
The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into the stretch run of the season with some momentum-but also with some glaring concerns. Head coach JJ Redick has steadied the ship after a rocky start, and recent improvements in both effort and execution have fans hoping for a strong finish. But as the postseason approaches, one truth is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: this team has a serious depth problem.
Let’s start with the obvious-this roster leans heavily on its top-end talent. Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves are going to log heavy minutes when it matters most. That trio carries the offense, and while there are valid questions about how well their skill sets complement one another, there’s no question they’re the Lakers’ best shot at making noise in the playoffs.
But beyond those three? Things get dicey fast.
Redick has shown trust in Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, and rightfully so. Smart brings defensive toughness and veteran savvy, while Hachimura has provided solid two-way play.
Luke Kennard, acquired at the deadline to give the team a much-needed shooting boost, will get his chances based on matchups. Jake LaRavia has also carved out a role, but again, it’s situational.
After that, the rotation becomes a puzzle with no clean solution.
The Lakers’ frontcourt is especially thin. Deandre Ayton and Jaxson Hayes have seen minutes at the five, but neither has locked down the role.
In fact, Redick has consistently pulled Ayton in crunch time, opting instead to play small. That trend is likely to continue in the postseason, where every possession is magnified and every mismatch is hunted.
The problem? Going small only works if you have the right personnel to make it work. And right now, Los Angeles doesn’t.
Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber are two names that could factor in, but both come with significant limitations. Vanderbilt brings energy and defensive versatility, but his offensive game remains a liability.
Kleber, once a reliable stretch big, hasn’t looked like the same player. Whether it’s age, injuries, or simply decline, he’s not the floor-spacing rim protector he once was.
That leaves Redick with limited options. He can mix and match, ride the hot hand, and try to scheme around the flaws-but in the playoffs, that only gets you so far. The best teams will exploit every weakness, and right now, the Lakers have more than a few.
It’s not that the Lakers didn’t have opportunities to address these issues. They had a first-round pick to dangle at the trade deadline and several roster holes to fill.
They landed Kennard, which helps on the perimeter, but the big swing never came. Now, the front office is pointing to the summer as the time to make their move.
That plan comes with risk. The Lakers need more than just one or two tweaks-they need a rim protector, multiple two-way wings, and more reliable shooting.
That’s a tall order to fill in a single offseason, especially with limited flexibility. But if this team wants to make the most of Luka’s prime-and LeBron’s final chapter-they can’t afford to run it back with this same supporting cast.
The reality is this: the Lakers don’t have eight players Redick can trust in a playoff series. That’s a problem. In a league where depth and versatility have become prerequisites for postseason success, Los Angeles is skating on thin ice.
If the Lakers fall short again this spring-and all signs point to another early exit-the pressure will shift quickly. The front office will have to answer for a roster that, despite its star power, just doesn’t have enough around the edges. And if they can’t build a more complete team around one of the game’s brightest stars, the franchise may be forced to take a long, hard look at how it’s being run.
The clock is ticking in L.A. The stars are in place. But unless the Lakers find real answers to their depth issues-and fast-they’ll be watching the later rounds of the playoffs from home once again.