Jordan Goodwin's spot in the NBA was in jeopardy early on in the 2024-25 NBA season. That was until the scrappy guard made his return to the NBA level with the Los Angeles Lakers, signing a two-way deal with the organization on Feb. 7.
Goodwin first appeared in a game with the Lakers on Feb. 8, immediately making an impact in his debut. The lengthy 26-year-old registered 10 points, four rebounds, and one assist in almost 25 minutes off the bench for Los Angeles. That performance was not a flash in the pan.
Goodwin got off to a strong start with the Lakers, making his presence felt off the bench each time. Even in the games where the offense did not look as strong as his promising first two appearances, Goodwin managed to stay on the court by playing high-effort defense.
That kind of impact quickly allowed JJ Redick to take a liking to the relative newcomer in Los Angeles. The Lakers head coach even told Jovan Buha that he foresaw Goodwin being a part of the Lakers' rotation moving forward. There is just one major problem with that.
Goodwin continues to position himself for standard NBA contract
Goodwin has appeared in eight games for the Lakers so far this season. The four-year pro 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 biggest gift that Goodwin offers the Lakers was already alluded to. It is his wingspan, which by extension aids his overall defensive ability, that has been so valuable in the minutes he's played for the team.
In particular, Goodwin's 6-foot-10 wingspan allows Los Angeles some comfort in the lineups where the Lakers play without a traditional center. It provides a significant boost to the aggressive and feisty style of defense that Redick and his staff have had so much success implementing. For those living under a rock, that unit has held the top defensive rating (107.2) in the NBA over the last 15 games played.
The problem with continuing to deploy Goodwin off the bench for the Lakers would be what the title of the article suggests, he is currently ineligible for the NBA Playoffs.
The good thing here is the fact that this problem can be solved pretty easily. The Lakers can convert Goodwin to a standard NBA contract, which would resolve that issue. The financial implications of converting his deal to a standard one is probably why the trigger on the move has not already been pulled, as explained by Bryan Toporek of SB Nation. The Lakers' proximity to the second apron's hard cap was noted as the main stepping stone to getting that done.
The good news is this should be a matter of when, not if, for Los Angeles. With Redick expressing his desire to have Goodwin as a big part of what the Lakers do moving forward, a new deal should eventually be on the horizon once enough days have passed to allow the Lakers to comfortably sneak in under that hard cap.
