9. Brandon Bass

The numbers for Brandon Bass in L.A. are down from last season with the Boston Celtics—5.4 points in 15.8 minutes per game compared with 10.6 in 23.5 minutes. It’s not because the 30-year-old’s skills are eroding, but more due to his role—he’s just not getting the same number of touches as he was in Beantown.

Bass plays backup minutes as a power forward and also shifts over to center for small-ball matchups. He has a nice short-to-midrange shooting touch and can rebound the ball. That said, giving those minutes to a still-developing prospect like Black would be a better benefit for the Lakers in the long term, and flipping Bass to a contender for a cheap asset would probably help all parties even further.

8. Nick Young

Nick Young is shooting a decent 35.8 percent from beyond the arc this season and taking better advantage of catch-and-shoot situations, rather than his customary tendency to try and create for himself.

Despite his efforts to fit into Scott’s system, however, Young’s opportunities continue to wane. This is not the same Swaggy P who romped his way through Mike D’Antoni’s run-and-gun system two years ago. And it’s kind of sad.

7. Larry Nance Jr.

On December 7, in the middle of a long and draining road trip, Larry Nance Jr. was given an unexpected starting nod over Julius Randle. Since then, the No. 27 draft pick out of Wyoming has stepped into the breach, playing tough-nosed defense and throwing down nasty jams with regularity. The power forward recently contributed a rookie diary entry for the Players’ Tribune, expressing his attitude about commitment, even when a team seems written off.

“In the NBA, you’re supposed to be an ultra-competitor,” Nance wrote. “If you’re not, you shouldn’t be here. And even if it might actually be 'delusional' at times, sometimes delusional thinking is exactly what you need to reach your goals.”

On Sunday, Nance Jr. had a career-high 17 points and 11 rebounds in another Lakers loss. He’s continuing with that ultra-competitive spirit.

6. Lou Williams

Lou Williams is the other recent beneficiary of Scott’s rotation shake-up—starting in place of prized rookie D’Angelo Russell. And while the change seemed curious, last year’s Sixth Man of the Year has generally played well, serving as an attack guard rather than a facilitator.

Williams was signed last summer to a three-year, $21.5 million deal. It’s hard to envision the 10-year vet as a long-term starter, given the potential of youngsters like Russell and Jordan Clarkson. But regardless, he can put up points in a hurry and also knows how to effectively close out quarters.

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