Lakers waive veteran forward Trevor Ariza

The Lakers have waived veteran forward Trevor Ariza, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The front office opened a roster spot in order to add a young player before the season ends on Sunday, according to Charania. The Lakers were eliminated from playoff contention this week, and a major roster shakeup is expected. They didn’t wait for the offseason to begin that process.

The move was confirmed in a team press release, as ESPN's Dave McMenamin relays.

After signing a one-year, veteran’s minimum in the offseason, Ariza was expected to have a significant role. However, ankle surgery derailed his impact. He appeared in only 24 games (11 starts), averaging 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in those contests.

Ariza, 36, has been in the league since 2004. It’s uncertain whether this is the end of the road for Ariza, who has appeared in 1,118 regular-season games.