A player who quickly earned the Lakers’ trust is currently unable to participate in the playoffs.
Los Angeles must decide on one of their recent acquisitions… Jordan Goodwin’s NBA career appeared uncertain early in the 2024-25 season, but that changed when the determined guard made his return to the league with the Los Angeles Lakers, signing a two-way contract on February 7.
Goodwin made his debut for the Lakers on February 8, making an immediate impact. The 26-year-old guard tallied 10 points, four rebounds, and one assist in nearly 25 minutes off the bench. That performance wasn’t just a fluke.
Goodwin quickly settled in with the Lakers, contributing off the bench in every game. Even when the offense didn’t shine like his impressive early games, Goodwin remained on the floor by providing tenacious defense.
This kind of contribution earned the attention of JJ Redick, who quickly became a fan of the new player in Los Angeles. The Lakers head coach even told Jovan Buha that he expected Goodwin to be part of the team’s rotation going forward. However, there is one significant issue.
Goodwin aims to secure a standard NBA contract So far this season, Goodwin has played in eight games for the Lakers. The four-year veteran is averaging 6.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game, with shooting splits of 53-31-67.
The most valuable asset Goodwin provides to the Lakers was previously mentioned—his wingspan, which enhances his defensive capabilities, has been crucial in the minutes he’s logged for the team.
Specifically, Goodwin’s 6-foot-10 wingspan gives Los Angeles an advantage in lineups without a traditional center. It strengthens the aggressive defense that Redick and his staff have successfully implemented. To put it simply, this defense has held the top rating (107.2) in the NBA over the last 15 games.
The issue with continuing to use Goodwin off the bench for the Lakers is what the article’s title highlights: he is currently ineligible for the NBA playoffs.
The silver lining is that this issue can be easily fixed. The Lakers can convert Goodwin’s contract to a standard NBA deal, which would solve the problem. The financial impact of converting his contract is likely why the move hasn’t been made yet, as Bryan Toporek of SB Nation explained. The Lakers’ proximity to the second apron’s hard cap is the main obstacle.
The good news is that this is likely a matter of when, not if, for Los Angeles. With Redick expressing his intention to integrate Goodwin into the team’s plans, a new contract should come soon once enough time passes for the Lakers to stay within the hard cap.