The Los Angeles Lakers are midway through their preseason schedule and while results at this stage don’t matter, there have been some serious talking points as the regular season opener approaches.
A lot of players have been handed minutes so far but there have been some notable absentees. The good news is that Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were finally on the court together after the latter missed the first two games and Doncic missed the second.
Newly acquired starting center Walker Kessler has not played at all. Head coach JJ Redick explained that it was a minor finger problem. Collin Sexton is also out with a leg injury, and according to the latest health report, Ziaire Williams is dealing with a foot contusion.
Bad News for Lakers as Ziaire Williams Hit With Injury
The Lakers will take on the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday in Las Vegas as they ramp up preparations for the new season. Still three days away, but Williams may not be present to play
Williams was brought in on a one-year deal from the Brooklyn Nets as one of the versatile forward additions. The 6-foot-9 forward spent the last two seasons in Brooklyn as a solid role player. The former No. 10 pick agreed to a $3 million deal to move to L.A.
Williams started and played 21 minutes against the Sacramento Kings in the first preseason game and he put up 13 points, with a single rebound and assist each. He also made one 3-pointer and as the first game goes, it was a decent showing. He missed the Warriors game and the second game against Sacramento.
The nature of Williams’ foot contusion is not yet certain, but Redick has insisted that it’s not a major concern. At worse he will miss the remainder of the preseason. However, if the case is a bit more serious, he could miss the first few games of the opening week.
Navigating Injuries Problems
The Lakers will hope that these early injuries are not a bad omen. The injuries to Doncic and Reaves at the start of last postseason are still fresh in the memory. The positive is that there hasn’t been any cause for serious alarm over a long-term injury.
Williams has had some injury concerns in the past. He missed multiple games late last season for the Nets as well as injuring his back in October last year. He did play 56 games overall with 22.9 minutes per game which is a solid number for a role player.
The Lakers will love to have Williams up and running when the season starts. Either as a backup option or even from the start, he offers good perimeter defense and good wing play. He has a near 7-foot wingspan which gives him an extra edge over traditional perimeter defenders.
The game against Golden State will be the Lakers’ second preseason meeting with the Dubs who will also come to L.A. for the regular season tip-off in the coming weeks.
Lakers Rocked By Brutal Injury News as Crucial 6’9″ Star Dealt Physical Setback