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Los Angeles Lakers roster: 3 players who could get axed from the rotation

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 19: Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a call during the first half of an NBA Tournament Play-In game against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on May 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 19: Head coach Frank Vogel of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to a call during the first half of an NBA Tournament Play-In game against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on May 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

3. Trevor Ariza

Trevor Ariza is really old and while that is true for most of the Los Angeles Lakers roster he does not have as many recent reps as the other players on the team. Ariza sat dormant as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who played the long game and eventually traded him instead of buying him out.

The result of that, mixed with the delayed 2019-20 season and resumption in Orlando, was Ariza not playing in the NBA for an entire year. His last game in the 2019-20 season was on March 20 and his first game with the Miami Heat last season was on March 19.

Ariza was better than people may have expected as he did play 28 minutes per game with the Heat. However, once the playoffs game around Ariza was slightly exposed as he was a complete non-factor in the 24 minutes per game he was getting.

Ariza and Bazemore are in similar situations and with Carmelo Anthony ahead of them both, it seems inevitable that at least one of the two will be axed from the rotation, which the question then becoming who.

Ariza does have the advantage over Bazemore because of his size. Ariza can log minutes at power forward with Anthony Davis likely playing more center in the playoffs while Bazemore cannot. His size and length help, however, he is not as athletic as Bazemore currently is.

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It will be an interesting storyline to follow and if other players really ball out then there is a chance that both Ariza and Bazemore get axed from the rotation once LeBron and AD kick it into gear. It will all depend on what happens during the regular season.

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