The Lakers will start the postseason as the third seed in the Western Conference. With Luka Doncic and LeBron James healthy, they hope to have a deep playoff run. And for that, they need veteran players who can spell some minutes here and there. Heading into the postseason, the Lakers had to make tough choices for some of their players like Alex Len, and it seems they chose experience over youth.
Lakers Choose Alex Len Over Young Players for Playoff Run
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin revealed that the Lakers have decided to keep Len for the stretch run. They had to make a decision on a couple of their bench guys. Dave revealed,
“Lakers two-way players Trey Jemison III and Christian Koloko were not converted to full fledge NBA contracts before the regular season ended, so they are ineligible to play in the playoffs. However, both practiced with the team today and will be with the team for the playoff run.”
Lakers two-way players Trey Jemison III and Christian Koloko were not converted to full fledge NBA contracts before the regular season ended, so they are ineligible to play in the playoffs. However, both practiced with the team today and will be with the team for the playoff run.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 16, 2025
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Koloko and Jemison are 24 and 25 years old respectively, while Len is 31 years old. Len has played in two postseason series. In the 2021 playoffs, he was on the Washington Wizards as they fell 4-1 to the Philadelphia 76ers. In 2023, he was on the losing side of the epic seven-game series between the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors.
While Len does have some playoff experience, he hasn’t been of much value to the Lakers. He is having one of the worst seasons of his career. Recently, even former players called out the Lakers for giving him minutes.
Koloko and Jemison’s Future with the Lakers Revealed
While the Lakers left Jemison out for this playoff run, they can still keep him for the foreseeable future. He is under contract with Los Angeles for one more year. Trey’s two-way deal expires after next season. They can postpone the decision on whether to keep him or cut him in the summer.
Koloko is in a different situation. His two-way contract expires after this season, making him an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
The Lakers have Jemison on a team-friendly contract for next season. They can evaluate the young center and see whether he fits with the team. That decision will mostly depend on what they can get on the market this summer. During the 2024-25 season, Jemison appeared in 22 games for the Lakers, averaging 2.6 points and 2.8 rebounds.
For comparison, Koloko averaged 2.4 points and 2.5 rebounds in 37 games for the Lakers. Alex Len, the guy the Lakers are keeping, appeared in 10 games and posted averages of 2.2 points, and 3.1 rebounds.
NBA Roster Rules Explained
NBA teams are allowed to have 15 players on their active roster, but only 12 can suit up for the game. They are also allowed to have three more players on two-way contracts, which expands the roster to 18 players.
After converting Jordan Goodwin to a full NBA contract for the postseason and waiving Cam Reddish, the Lakers have 15 players on their roster. They decided to keep Len and Goodwin instead of Koloko, Reddish, and Jemison.
Photo credit: © Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images
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