Jordan Goodwin had done everything right by losing more than 20 pounds, dropping more than 10 percent of body fat, sleeping better, eating right and putting basketball ahead of all the trappings the NBA can offer.
He’d joined the Lakers in training camp on a non-guaranteed deal, a hamstring injury costing him a chance earn a spot on the roster. He’d bounced from Washington to Phoenix to Memphis in the early stages of his NBA career, but was now without consistent work. The Lakers had hopes for him — that he could be the kind of player critical to the culture JJ Redick and his coaching staff wanted to emulate by doing all the little things, by putting the team first and by making life hell for the other team whenever he took the court with his relentless effort.