3 Lakers who should be booted from rotation as LA gets healthy
By Jason Reed
2. Juan Toscano-Anderson
Juan Toscano-Anderson has been dealing with a back injury that resulted in him missing the last two games for the Lakers. While the issue does not seem long-term, we might not see Toscano-Anderson playing much this season because of it.
JTA probably shouldn’t have a role in this rotation when he does return from his lingering back issue. HIs role on the team already was not very large but it has become clear without him that the team simply does not need the minutes he provides when it is fully healthy.
That is only going to become more evident when LeBron James returns and eats some of those forward minutes. If JTA was offering good shooting and defense it would be one thing and his place in the rotation would be secure. That is not the case at all.
JTA has been fine defensively but has not been any better than the other options that the Lakers can throw out there instead. Offensively, JTA has been awful this season as he cannot hit a shot to save his life with an 18.1% three-point rate.
Austin Reaves is having a fantastic breakout season this year and Troy Brown Jr. is having a far bigger impact than anyone could have anticipated. With Wenyen Gabriel also playing well, there simply is not any room for Juan Toscano-Anderson.