Lack of size is one of the biggest concerns for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the playoffs and the team will have even less than the did in the regular season. The franchise did not convert the contracts of two-way bigs Christian Koloko or Trey Jemison into standard deals, making both ineligible for the postseason.
Neither Koloko nor Jemison would’ve been expected to be part of the rotation in any form, but having the option wouldn’t have been the worst idea. The Lakers also could have looked to potentially add another veteran piece ahead of the postseason, but chose against it and there was a reason why.
According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, the Lakers really liked the chemistry of this current group and did not want to mess with that for the playoffs:
A team source told ESPN the Lakers “liked the chemistry of the group” during the regular season and wanted to keep that dynamic together for the playoffs https://t.co/G6X0trAQGG
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 16, 2025
As McMenamin noted, both Koloko and Jemison will remain with the team, traveling and being on the bench during the playoffs, so that dynamic will be in full effect. Chemistry is so important to the success of a team and the Lakers have a group that really enjoys being around each other and pushes everyone and one wrong move can potentially affect that negatively.
In order to convert either of those two-way players into a standard deal, the Lakers would have had to cut someone and the franchise just felt it wasn’t worth it. Alex Len would have been the prime candidate.
The Lakers have a good thing going right now and simply don’t want to mess with it now that the playoffs are here. Everyone knows the players who will be on the court more often than not, but on what will hopefully be a long, grueling postseason run, having a group of guys all locked in together pushing for the same thing is invaluable.
Maxi Kleber a full participant in Lakers practice, but no timeline for return
This Lakers squad is almost completely healthy, with the lone exception being big man Maxi Kleber who underwent foot surgery prior to being acquired as part of the Luka Doncic trade. But Kleber was actually a full participant in the Lakers practice on Tuesday as they prepare for the Timberwolves.
However, head coach JJ Redick made it clear there is no timetable for when Kleber will suit up for the Lakers.
“He’s back on the court doing on-court activities, but no timeline,” Redick said after practice. Redick also noted that the practice featured no live drills, allowing for Kleber to participate in full.
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