3 Lakers whose roles are not safe after the trade deadline

The 2024 NBA trade deadline has come and gone and it was one of the most lackluster deadlines in recent memory. A year after reinventing the roster with a massive Russell Westbrook trade, the Lakers stood pat and did not make a single trade.

Los Angeles did add some external help courtesy of Spencer Dinwiddie, who was traded to the Toronto Raptors and subsequently waived on deadline day. Los Angeles used the remaining $1.5 million the team had from its mid-level exception to sign Dinwiddie.

While the Lakers did not make many moves, the team is entering the most important stretch of the season and cannot afford to mess around. This team needs to win games and with the deadline in the rear-view mirror, the focus now turns on maximizing the roster. This means that some players will naturally be left out.

3 Lakers whose roles are not safe after the trade deadline:

1. Christian Wood

There was speculation that the Lakers could potentially trade Christian Wood alongside second-round picks to another team simply to get under the first tax apron. That ultimately did not happen but where there is smoke, there is fire, and a team insider reporting that is something.

The Christian Wood experience has gone exactly how Lakers fans should have expected. There was a lot of buzz around him when he signed, he played a few good games, but ultimately his awful defense has kept him off the court. Sprinkle in a social media fiasco for good measure and the recipe is complete.

Jaxson Hayes has been getting more playing time than Wood and when the season really starts to matter the rotation will shrink and Anthony Davis will play more. There will be very few center minutes to go around and at this rate, those minutes will go to Hayes.