Beating all the odds, the Los Angeles Lakers are in contention to make the playoffs. After starting the season 2-10, the Purple and Gold managed to make the impossible happen. Recently, LeBron James welcomed the fact that the Lake Show would finish the season with a winning record. However, that clearly isn’t good enough for the mighty Lakers. Going for the Championship, Rob Pelinka and the front office are making some moves that have managed to surprise the Laker Nation.

According to Dave McMenamin, the Lakers are preparing to use their idle roster spot and sign players who could make a significant impact on the Lakers’ chase for the title.

Lakers to sign two new faces for the playoffs

McMenamin took to Twitter to reveal the 17-time NBA champions’ newest master move. With the playoffs approaching, the franchise wants to add some depth to the roster. To bring the vision to life, the front office will make way for two new stars to be part of the glorious Lakers history. James’ former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Tristan Thompson will be one of the two players wearing the Lakers jerseys during the playoffs.

At one time, Thompson was a force to reckon with, playing hard on every possession. However, his prime is arguably behind him. The NBA veteran last played for the Chicago Bulls during the 2021-22 season. Hours before the move, Thompson was recognized as a basketball analyst. With injuries mounting on the Lakers’ backup centers, Thompson could step in to fill those shoes.

On the other hand, Defensive guard Shaq Harrison also joins the roster before the postseason. Harrison is young in his career and his accolades could make him a key piece in the Lakers’ playoff rotations. The 29-year-old won the G-League Defensive Player of The Year honors during the 2021-22 season as a part of the South Bay Lakers. Harrison signed a 10-day contract for the Portland Trail Blazers back in March. During the short stint, he averaged  8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2,2 steals per game.

The Lakers’ defensive growth was probably the biggest reason they were able to transform a season that seemed to be a nightmare initially. With the young guard’s impact as a defensive anchor, he could be a catch for the franchise.

To make space for the additional players, the 2020 NBA champions are waiving Davon Reed. He played only eight games for the Lakers since becoming a part of the organization in February.

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Fans react to the Lakers’ newest roster additions

Laker Nation rose in excitement after McMenamin’s report. However, there was a sense of sarcasm as they confused Shaq Harrison for Purple and Gold legend, Shaquille O’Neal. One user wrote, “Shaq back to the Lakers? Big if true”

On the other hand, some fans were worried about the production of Tristan Thompson. They even felt the Lakers could have gone for other options instead of the 2016 NBA champion. A Laker fan wrote, “Hope he got something left in the tank” 

Here are some other opinions fans had on the Lakers’ strategic move for the playoffs:

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Just one regular season game remains before the real test begins for the Lakers. As the playoffs near, do you think the Purple and Gold will continue their impressive form and make a deep run? Which of the two new additions will play a bigger part? Let us know your views in the comments below.