Three under-the-radar Lakers to watch in the second half of the season

Despite the superstar pairing of LeBron James and Luka Doncic, along with the emergence of Austin Reaves, the Los Angeles Lakers have several glaring issues that put a serious playoff run into question. Although they lead the league in field-goal percentage at 49.9%, the Lakers have struggled to connect from beyond the arc, shooting 34.9%, which ranks 19th in the NBA. 

The team has appeared to be top-heavy, with the bench ranking last in the league in scoring. With James, Doncic and Reaves all missing extended time this season, that imbalance could become a concern if the Lakers' core trio can't stay healthy.

In a tightly packed Western Conference race, many speculated that the Purple and Gold would aggressively pursue a three-and-D role player to address those gaps and push for a higher playoff seed. 

Despite making only a few moves at the trade deadline, the Lakers may still have the assets to help manage some of their flaws and push for a deep postseason run.

Here are three Lakers players who could make an impact down the stretch:

Luke Kennard

Kennard, was the only player Los Angeles acquired at the deadline. He leads the NBA in three-point field-goal percentage and could provide a significant boost off the bench. 

Although he may not be an elite defender, if Kennard can continue to shoot lights-out from range, it should help space the floor and create opportunities for others to make plays.

Early into his stint with the Purple and Gold, he appears to be picking up right where he left off, shooting 50% from three-point range in his first two games with the Lakers.

Kobe Bufkin

Following a brief 10-day stint with the Purple and Gold, Bufkin was reassigned to the South Bay Lakers, leaving his next move uncertain. While he appeared in four games, he only logged extended minutes in two. Despite the limited return, Los Angeles' decision to sign him to a two-year contract may indicate that the organization believes he could play a larger role moving forward.

In the G League, Bufkin proved he was a capable scorer, leading the league with 27.7 points per game. He also contributed on the defensive end, averaging 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks. If Bufkin can crack the rotation, his skill set could provide added value.

Maxi Kleber 

Kleber has operated in a reserve role since being acquired by Los Angeles. Recently, however, he has seen extended minutes against the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers, posting plus-minus figures of plus-23 and plus-12.

Kleber's ability to stretch the floor has been established in previous seasons, and if his minutes continue to rise, that skill set, paired with his efficient play, could help Los Angeles space the floor in key matchups.