Los Angeles Lakers: Why it is time to shut down key players

4. It helps evaluate the other guys for next season

So, who exactly should sit out if the Lakers were to rest every “significant player” to end the season? It would be LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram. There is one young exception to that list: Josh Hart and there is a reason why.

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Sitting these guys is only going to lead to more playing time for these guys and will help the Lakers evaluate what exactly they want to do moving forward. It could help decide what one-year contracts they want to bring out or if they trust Josh Hart in his current role on a contending team.

Hart should be the biggest beneficiary of this and the Lakers should just let go of the reigns and allow him to prove what he has. Other young players that could benefit are 2018 first-round pick, Moritz Wagner, as well a G League player Alex Caruso.

The starting lineup would be pretty ugly. It would consist of Rajon Rondo, Hart, Reggie Bullock, Moritz Wagner and JaVale McGee. Off the bench would be Tyson Chandler, Lance Stephenson, Alex Caruso, Mike Muscala and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Not the biggest roster and nowhere near the most impressive but that should be the goal for the Lakers to wrap up the season. Don’t risk the important players while evaluating what the team could do moving forward.

It is hard to willingly accept that your team’s season is over and that is what the Los Angeles Lakers would be doing here. However, it ultimately is for the best.