The Los Angeles Lakers ranked 29th in the NBA during the 2024-25 regular season when it came to points per game from their bench. They got brutalized by the Minnesota Timberwolves while failing to field a competent rotation beyond their top guys. The first game of the season did not offer much hope for change.
What made it worse was they got a front row seat to exactly the type of presence they need off the bench. Buddy Hield lit up the Lakers for 17 points, shooting 6-of-11 from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point, in the Golden State Warriors' decisive 119-109 win on opening night.