Basketball is funny. One day you’re the hero of a playoff push, the gritty defender that fans scream for when the lead starts slipping away, and the next, you’re playing for the rival.
That is exactly the weird reality of Jordan Goodwin and the Lakers.
If you’ve been following the Purple and Gold lately, you know the vibe is… tense. There’s a lot of talk about roster construction. People are looking at the Phoenix Suns' box scores and then looking back at Rob Pelinka with a raised eyebrow. Why? Because Jordan Goodwin is currently torching nets in the desert while the Lakers' backcourt defense occasionally looks like a revolving door.
The Short-Lived Romance
Let's be real: Jordan Goodwin was basically the ultimate "find."
He wasn't some high-profile trade target. He didn't come with the fanfare of a lottery pick. He arrived in Los Angeles via the G League, specifically the South Bay Lakers, back in early 2025. By February, the big club signed him to a two-way deal, and honestly, the impact was immediate.
JJ Redick—yeah, coach Redick—instantly fell in love with the kid's motor. Goodwin isn't 6'8", but he plays like he's 6'10" when there’s a loose ball on the floor. In about 19 games during that 2024-25 stretch, he was putting up roughly 6.4 points and nearly 4 rebounds in just 20 minutes.
But it wasn't the points. It was the "annoyance factor."
Opposing guards hated him. He was second on the team in deflections, trailing only Luka Doncic (who the Lakers had acquired in that massive blockbuster). He brought a defensive nastiness that the team lacked. By March 2025, the front office realized they couldn't go into the playoffs without him, so they waived Cam Reddish to convert Goodwin to a standard NBA contract. It was a two-year deal with a team option for 2025-26.
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Everything looked perfect. He was the "next Alex Caruso" or "the new Austin Reaves"—that undrafted gem the Lakers are so good at finding.
The July Decision That Changed Everything
So, what went wrong? This is where it gets kind of messy.
In June 2025, the Lakers actually did the expected thing: they picked up his $2.3 million team option. Most of us thought, Okay, cool, he's part of the rotation for the next season. But the NBA moves fast. Really fast.
The Lakers were hunting bigger fish. They were trying to balance a roster that featured LeBron James (who had opted back in), Luka Doncic, and Anthony Davis. Space was tight. Minutes were tighter.
On July 20, 2025, the Lakers made a move that still has fans debating on Reddit at 3 AM. They waived Jordan Goodwin.
They did it to make room for Marcus Smart, a former Defensive Player of the Year. On paper, you get it. If you can get Marcus Smart, you do it, right? But to make the numbers work and keep guys like Dalton Knecht and Bronny James on the roster, Goodwin was the one who had to go.
Three days later, the Phoenix Suns—who had Goodwin before and knew exactly what he could do—snagged him off waivers.
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The Regret Factor in 2026
Fast forward to right now, January 2026.
The Lakers are currently sitting in the middle of the Western Conference standings. Their defense is ranked 17th in the league. Meanwhile, Jordan Goodwin is playing 25 minutes a night for a Suns team that has a top-15 defense.
It hurts to watch.
Just a few days ago, on January 4, 2026, Goodwin had a career day against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He dropped 26 points. He hit eight three-pointers. Eight. This is a guy who was once considered a "non-shooter." In LA, he worked on his jumper and hit a career-high 38.2% from deep. Now, he’s a legitimate 3-and-D threat.
The contrast is what makes Lakers fans crazy. While Goodwin is providing high-level POA (point of attack) defense for Phoenix, the Lakers are struggling to find consistent minutes for their bench.
- Dalton Knecht has struggled to find his rhythm, averaging only about 5.4 points.
- Bronny James is mostly playing garbage time minutes.
- Gabe Vincent has been in and out of the lineup with various issues.
Basically, the Lakers kept the potential of the younger guys but lost the "win-now" production of Goodwin.
Why This Matters for the Trade Deadline
The "Goodwin Gap" is a real thing. When you look at the Lakers' roster today, they are missing that one guard who doesn't need the ball to be effective.
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Goodwin didn't care if he took two shots or twelve. He wanted to ruin the opposing point guard's night. That’s a luxury for a team built around high-usage stars like LeBron and Luka.
Now, as the 2026 trade deadline approaches, the Lakers are once again linked to defensive guards. There are rumors about trading for guys like Marcus Smart's old teammates or hunting for another G League miracle. But the irony is they already had the answer. He was wearing #30 in purple and gold less than a year ago.
Moving Forward: What the Lakers Need to Do
If you're a Lakers fan, you can't dwell on what's gone. You just have to look at how to fix the current hole. Here’s the reality of where things stand:
- Prioritize the "Dog" Mentality: The team needs to stop overvaluing "shooting potential" (like Knecht) if that player can't stay on the floor defensively. They need a specialist.
- Scour the G League (Again): The South Bay Lakers are still a factory for talent. There’s usually another Goodwin-type player grinding away in El Segundo.
- The Roster Crunch: With LeBron James still playing at an elite level even in 2026, the window is tiny. The front office can't afford to keep "symbolic" roster spots if those spots could be filled by rotation players who actually contribute to wins.
The story of Jordan Goodwin and the Lakers is a classic NBA cautionary tale. Sometimes the best player for your team isn't the one with the biggest name or the highest draft pedigree. Sometimes, it's the guy who's willing to dive into the front row for a loose ball in a Tuesday night game in Memphis.
The Lakers let that guy walk, and right now, the Phoenix Suns are the ones reaping the rewards.
Actionable Insight for Lakers Fans
Keep a close eye on the buyout market and the upcoming trade deadline. The Lakers are clearly missing a perimeter stopper. If you see them linked to defensive-minded guards who "don't need the ball," that's the front office trying to fill the Jordan Goodwin-sized hole they created last July. Watch the defensive rating—if it doesn't crack the top 12 by March, this season might end in another "what if."