OKC, KFC, UFC, Lakers in 5! That has been the mood among the Lakers nation since the Luka Doncic trade. And why wouldn’t that be? Since the historical trade, not only have the Lakers been on a tear, but they are also proving a lot of naysayers wrong. Until last month, the Lakers’ ceiling was early playoffs, but now the Finals are not an over ambition. And to achieve that, JJ Redick will need his trusted soldiers to surround King James and Don Luka. But the contract situation is something for Rob Pelinka to ponder upon. However, sources hinted at possible decisions already being made.

According to Jovan Buha, the Lakers are expected to waive Alex Len and Cam Reddish. Waiving the duo will open the avenue to convert Jordan Goodwin, Trey Jemison, & Christian Koloko. That will also make them post-season eligible, providing a big boost to JJ Redick. Since Rob Pelinka pulled off the miraculous Luka Doncic trade, he has risen to star status among the Lakers fans. These late-season moves ahead of the playoffs are sure to increase that a bit more.

The Lakers are currently $893,847 below the 2nd apron. Waiving both Len and Reddish would lead to saving $3.6 million in salary space. Hence, in total, the Lakers will have just about enough space to offer a league minimum $1.5 million contract to all three of their two-way players. Trey Jemison has offered increased rim protection for the Lakers while coming off the bench. Christian Koloko has been predominantly used in the G League but was consistently given minutes from the bench during the Lakers games. But among the three, Jordan Goodwin has been particularly impressive since being picked up from the South Bay Lakers. And his HC’s comments about him prove that.

JJ Redick, Lakers analysts are in awe of Jordan Goodwin

The message from JJ Redick throughout the season has been consistent: play hard and shoot a lot. The Lakers’ run since February has proved that it’s one hell of a cheat code for any team to look competitive even when the star players are missing. During the recent run of games, the purple and gold missed LeBron James and Doncic in splits. But the situation is combative enough thanks to the second unit, especially Jordan Goodwin. JJ Redick’s post-game comments following the win over the Suns made it clear how highly the guard is regarded within the Lakers’ set-up.

“Never judge a player based solely on his box score. Jordan Goodwin was incredible tonight, and he had 2 points and 4 fouls. He set the tone for us,” Redick said after the Lakers’ 107-96 win on March 16. So far this season, Goodwin has averaged 7.2 points per game from 48.4% shooting from the field and 43.4% from beyond the 3-point arc. But what makes him stand out is his hustle for the team, which even impressed Lakers legend James Worthy.

“He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He doesn’t take ill-advised shots,” said Worthy during the post-game show on Spectrum Sports. “He’s a gritty player, a good defensive player.” In that Suns game, Goodwin almost single-handedly guarded Booker without any help. That makes him “a player you wanna keep around,” according to Worthy.

The Lakers will need to make the decision swiftly with only 13 games left for them in the regular season with the Bulls game on Saturday night. The two-way trio will again have an opportunity to make positive impressions, possibly accelerating the process of getting their well-earned contracts.