After losing to the 76ers in James' absence, the Los Angeles Lakers ushered in a three-day break. Although the performance was disappointing for most of the season, the Lakers showed good game status at the end of the season. In addition to James' continued high-light hot form, Westbrook has also found the status of the game recently, playing well in many consecutive games. Free agents Gabriel and Augustine, signed after the trade deadline, both played well, filling in the Lakers' mid-season roster holes. In addition to the current lineup playing well, the Lakers also received good news in the near future that Anthony Davis is about to return. If all goes well, the Lakers will have a healthy lineup for all but Nunn before the end of the regular season, which is very beneficial to their playoff journey.
However, according to The Los Angeles Times reporter Turner, the Lakers are likely to have lineup adjustments in the case of less than a month left in the regular season. One of the under-playing Ellington, Bazemore and Ariza, who have not played well this season, will leave the team. The Lakers' purpose was to make room for Gabriel, a player who has recently performed well on a two-way contract and is not allowed to represent the Lakers in the playoffs. With a full roster, if the Lakers want Gabriel, who has recently entered a steady rotation, to continue playing for the team in the playoffs, it must cut one of the current regular personnel. These three veterans are currently excluded from the regular rotation, and they are all basic salaries, and cutting them will not have much impact on the overall strength of the Lakers.
Gabriel is 25 years old and 2.06 meters tall in his line-up. Although he weighs only 92kg, his excellent arm span and athleticism allow Gabriel to cover multiple positions on the defensive end. Gabriel had been "wandering around" in the league before signing to the Lakers on a two-way contract, playing for six different teams in four years. Although the talent is average and there is no particular ability to shine, Gabriel's height and his fighting attitude make up for the lack of the Lakers' front. Gabriel has also performed well on the offensive end in recent games, and his presence could allow James to attack more on the perimeter than in the basket. In the foreseeable future, when Anthony Davis returns, the frontcourt combination of James, Gabriel or Stanley Johnson and Davis will give the Lakers a frontcourt that combines height and athleticism for the first time this season.
However, for the Lakers, the cost of cutting a player is not small. First, if a player is cut at this stage of the season, he cannot sign for another team. In such a situation, the Lakers not only have to pay Gabriel a base salary contract, but also pay the salaries of the players who have been laid off. In addition, the layoffs that have to be laid down at this stage reflect the lack of operational ability of the Lakers management, which also has a great impact on the lakers' free agent attractiveness. But all in all, if the Lakers can really make the playoffs, then signing Gabriel is still a must. Do fans and friends think the Lakers can still make the playoffs? Should they do this? Welcome to discuss and exchange in comment area 2!