In a disheartening 127-109 defeat against the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers showcased a lackluster performance, leaving fans and analysts bewildered. Not even LeBron James could come and save the night with a poor shooting effort. But it was some words from former NBA player Gilbert Arenas that made heads turn.

On the Nightcap podcast, with Shannon Sharpe and Arenas as hosts, the Lakers’ poor performance was discussed, especially a particular Lakers forward.

Arenas calls for urgent Lakers lineup

Arenas was very straightforward in saying that he was disappointed with the Lakers’ starting lineup. “Yes, we love our Lakers, but tonight was unworthy of cheers. I’m booing as soon as I see the starting  line-up,“ he ranted in the podcast. So his frustration seemed to be targeted at the players who weren’t starters, like Cam Reddish and Jarred Vanderbilt.

“Let me be honest,” Arenas continued, “as a starting player, you’re talking about Cam Reddish, and Van Doo (Jarred Vanderbilt) coming in with these minutes, like, listen, they’re not starters.” 

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Arenas wasn’t only criticizing some bad off-night, but rather a longstanding pattern that, in his opinion, needed to be addressed by changing the starting lineup.

The focus was then on the other injured players, namely Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt, which revealed their injuries and the strain they had caused the team. The extended time that Hachimura was out of the court due to different injuries such as calf injuries, ankle wounds, a broken nose, an ailment in the wrist, and a concussion raised questions about his availability and how the Lakers were going to perform.

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On a similar note, Vanderbilt’s first ankle injury resulted in him having to sit out 20 games since the time of injury. He’s getting limited minutes, and he was under constant observation by the monitoring staff employed by the Lakers.

Laker’s crucial crossroads clash against the Utah Jazz

As the Lakers prepare to face the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center, discussion looms over potential adjustments in the starting lineup.

Arenas’ passionate plea for change resonates, and fans eagerly await the Lakers’ response to this critical juncture in the season.

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At a crossroads with all these uncertainties regarding Hachimura, the Lakers need to sort out their course before incurring further setbacks. While the match against the Utah Jazz seems to be a challenging one, the LA squad need to test their resilience and determination with the hope that their revamped lineup will bring new life to the court.