The Los Angeles Lakers made the wrong call when they waived Jordan Goodwin, and the consequences are showing up every night.
The Lakers let the wrong player walk
They chose to keep Dalton Knecht and Bronny James instead. One is buried in the rotation, the other is barely in it, while Goodwin is playing meaningful minutes for the Phoenix Suns and defending at a level the Lakers desperately need. That contrast has become impossible to ignore.
Knecht was drafted with a very specific expectation. He was expected to be someone who could space the floor and knock down shots. So far, that has not happened consistently.
This season, he is averaging just 13.1 minutes per game and scoring 5.4 points while shooting just 35 percent from beyond the arc. For a player whose value is almost entirely tied to shooting, that margin matters.
The confidence clearly does not look fully there either, which is often the first thing to go when minutes disappear. The Lakers themselves signalled uncertainty early last season, but missed a chance to move on from him.
They explored trading Knecht to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams before the deal was rescinded. Since then, Knecht has not settled into a defined role, and his trade value has quietly vanished. He is not helping win games now, and he is no longer a clean asset for the future.
Bronny James is a different case, but the result feels similar. He is averaging just 8.2 minutes in 18 appearances, mostly during garbage time, with 1.6 points per game on 31.4 percent shooting. Although those are disappoinitng you would not really expect much better.
The Lakers can’t treat Bronny like a normal developmental piece. Trading him would create noise the organization clearly wants to avoid, especially with LeBron James still playing at an elite level. So Bronny remains on the roster, even if his role is largely symbolic. Likely the only way he is dealt is if his dad is sent off alongside him.
Meanwhile, Goodwin is doing the exact things the Lakers lack. He defends, stays active, and contributes without needing touches. In Phoenix, he has carved out a real role.
That is the biggest regret. The Lakers lost a player who could help them right now.