The Lakers look like contenders after acquiring Luka Doncic, but their season hinges on the health of their top eight players due to a lack of depth, especially at center. "I don't really trust anyone outside of the Top 8," a Lakers insider said.
The Los Angeles Lakers are starting to look like a serious contender in the Western Conference.
Currently sitting in fourth place with a 34-21 record, they've strengthened their roster by acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Anthony Davis, who has struggled with injuries.
The trade could be a major win for LA, but their success will largely depend on staying healthy.
As Lakers insider Jovan Buha of The Athletic pointed out, depth is a major concern -- especially at center. With Jaxson Hayes as their only reliable big man, even after signing Alex Len in free agency, they may face challenges. Len, in particular, has yet to prove he fits into their system.
"I think the Lakers have a clear Top 8 right now, which is the starting five of Jaxson Hayes, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic, and then Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Gabe Vincent. I think if they lose any of those 8 players, they don't have a guy who can sub in," Buha noted in his recent podcast.
"They need the Top 8, and if the Top 8 can be healthy, I really think this group can go big, can go small, can go kind of big and small at the same time by throwing out multiple wings out there around LeBron, Luka, and Austin," he went on to say.
"They need to stay healthy, particularly with the Top 8. I honestly don't think they have much room for error or depth. Outside of that Top 8, maybe Jordan Goodwin could emerge as that 9th guy, and they could convert him later in the season, but that has yet to happen. So, for now, I don't really trust anyone outside of the Top 8."
Earlier, Buha also reported that if the Lakers look to add another big man, they might waive Cam Reddish or Shake Milton to create roster space.
Any player acquired through a buyout must be bought out by the March 1 deadline to be eligible for the playoffs.
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