Lakers’ Updated Depth Chart After DeAndre Jordan Exit, D.J. Augustin Contract

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The Los Angeles Lakers will reportedly make some roster changes.

According to The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania, the Lakers “intend to waive DeAndre Jordan and sign free-agent guard D.J. Augustin.” The moves will give Los Angeles depth and shooting in its backcourt.

The Lakers will be Augustin’s 11th team in 14 years. He most recently played for the Houston Rockets and averaged 5.4 points and 2.2 assists in 34 games.

A 14-year veteran center, Jordan recently had a hard time cracking the rotation and was averaging a career-low 12.8 minutes per game. Losing him won’t have much impact on the lineup except for its size.

Lakers’ Updated Depth Chart

PG: Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk, D.J. Augustin

SG: Austin Reaves, Talen Horton-Tucker, Avery Bradley (out; knee)

SF: LeBron James, Stanley Johnson, Kent Bazemore

PF: Trevor Ariza, Carmelo Anthony

C: Dwight Howard, Anthony Davis (out; ankle)

Augustin gives the Lakers a veteran backup point guard who can run the offense when Westbrook is off the floor. His presence should alleviate some pressure off of other players on the team, namely Malik Monk.

While Monk usually takes over the ball-handling duties in the second unit, he’s a streaky scorer who’s not much a facilitator. Monk will likely share the floor with Augustin, allowing the fifth-year guard to slide over to his more natural shooting guard position. Monk should have no problem playing off the ball as he is shooting 39.1 percent from three-point range this season.

Augustin has never been relied on for his offensive production throughout his 14-year career, but he’s always been a fairly efficient player. He has career averages of 9.6 points and 3.9 assists against just 1.5 turnovers and he’s shot 41.1 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc.

The departure of Jordan does leave the Lakers pretty thin in their frontcourt, however. With Anthony Davis out with an ankle injury, Dwight Howard is the team’s only healthy center.

It’s likely that we see LeBron James playing at the five in small-ball lineups until Davis comes back healthy. James is putting up some of the best numbers of career while doing everything for the Lakers, but it hasn’t led to success.

Los Angeles is 27-33 and has lost five of its last six games. While adding Augustin is a solid move to bolster the team’s bench unit, the Lakers have a lot more to figure out if they hope to turn their season around.