Former NBA Star Believes Lakers Need to Push 'Panic Button'

Feb 1, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick points to forward LeBron James (23) during the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers will play their first game after the NBA All-Star break on Friday, with the team hosting Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena.

As the final stretch of the 2025-26 NBA regular season gets underway for JJ Redick's squad, the Lakers are sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference with a record of 33-21, with Anthony Edwards' Minnesota Timberwolves right on their heels at 34-22.

Brandon Jennings Feels Lakers Need to Hit 'Panic Button'

Jan 24, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) walks back on the court in front of head coach JJ Redick during the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Along with the Timberwolves creeping up on them, the Phoenix Suns are also looming at 32-24, giving the Lakers no margin for error in the final 28 regular-season games, as a bad stretch could be enough to drop them into the Play-In Tournament.

During an appearance on Gil's Arena, former NBA star Brandon Jennings shared his take on the current state of the Lakers and how he believes it is time to hit the "panic button" with less than two months left in the regular season.

“Because you are going into the 2nd half of the season, your roster has been up and down, and you are in the 5th spot, where you could end up in the 7th or 8th, the way it’s looking," Jennings said. "The Lakers need to hit the panic button ASAP.”

Although it seems a bit bold to say it is panic-button time for the Lakers, Jennings might be right. Luka Doncic and company can't afford to lose many games in the final stretch, and their schedule doesn't get any easier in the final 28.

Lakers Get Clean Injury Report After All-Star Break

Oct 31, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts with guard Austin Reaves (15) during a timeout during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Fortunately for the Lakers, the team will be 100 percent healthy heading into Friday's game against the division rival Clippers. The injury report released on Thursday didn't have a single name on it, which is something that has rarely happened for the Lakers over the past few years.

Obviously, the best part of this development is that Doncic will be good to go to face the Clippers after missing four straight games with a hamstring injury heading into the All-Star break.

Along with Doncic getting back healthy to start the final stretch, rising star Austin Reaves will no longer have a minutes restriction, which Redick made a point of saying after Thursday's practice.

Reaves has been working his way back from a calf strain that he suffered on Christmas Day against the Houston Rockets. He's played well since returning, but the Lakers' coaching staff didn't want to take any chances, so they limited his playing time to about 25 minutes per game.