The Los Angeles Lakers have been operating shorthanded all season long and have paid a proverbial price. The Lakers did get Christian Koloko, who is on a two-way deal, back last week. However, the Lakers received some bad news earlier this afternoon, as Christian Wood suffered a setback in his recovery from left knee surgery.
Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweeted that Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters that Wood developed soreness in his knee during his ramp-up process and will be re-evaluated in four weeks. Wood underwent an arthroscopic surgical procedure on his knee in September and said on October 1 that he would need about a month to amp up his recovery. Four weeks would mean the 6-8 forward will remain sidelined until after the Emirates Cup championship game.
Lakers Reserve Big Man’s Return Pushed Back After Setback, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Cam Redish and Dalton Knecht
This setback is troublesome for Wood. Wood’s 2023-24 season ended on February 22, and he underwent surgery in March. The 29-year-old was cleared to play in the final two games of LA’s opening series loss to Denver last season, but he didn’t play in either contest. He then felt pain in his knee and had another procedure done in September to alleviate it.
“This is starting to become an issue,” said Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT. “Had surgery last season and then again this year when he had pain. This is one of the downsides when they don’t repair the meniscus and they do a menisectomy (cut the meniscus).”
Jarred Vanderbilt has also yet to play this season after injuries to both feet. The Lakers provided an update on Vanderbilt’s status and said that the 25-year-old felt discomfort at the beginning of November. Redick added that another update would be forthcoming in a week or two, meaning that one should be forthcoming in the next few days.
With Wood and Vanderbilt out, Anthony Davis and Jaxson Hayes have handled the majority of the center minutes. Thanks to Davis’s MVP-type season, the duo has the Lakers ranked as one of the top center units in the league. However, the Lakers are outscored by 0.1 points a game when either Davis or Hayes are on the court and by 0.5 points when the pair is sitting.
Anthony Davis, Jaxson Hayes, and D’Angelo Russell
It doesn’t sound like Davis will miss any time after exiting the Lakers’ win over Toronto on Sunday. Davis told McMenamin that he has been cleared after being limited to 26 minutes against the Raptors due to a left eye injury. LA (6-4) has won two straight and is undefeated (5-0) at Crypto.com Arena as they host Memphis on Wednesday.
“A couple scratches in my eye,” Davis said, his eye still appearing red and clouded, after practice Tuesday. “But as far as the medical term and everything all that, I’m not 100% sure. But I am cleared to play.”
Per McMenamin, Davis is officially considered probable for the Lakers’ first Emirates Cup contest. Despite playing nearly 10 minutes fewer than his season average, Davis scored 26 points and blocked two shots, though he just grabbed four rebounds. Davis, who is second in the league in scoring at 31.2 points, has scored at least 20 points in all nine of his appearances.
“Nothing happens next,” Davis told Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. “I go about my days as I would any other day. There’s nothing I need to do. The next step is getting some more sleep and getting ready for tomorrow.”
Russell Move To Bench
Meanwhile, D’Angelo Russell is also considered probable due to an illness. McMenamin added that Russell did not participate in Tuesday’s team practice.
D’Angelo Russell did not participate in practice on Tuesday because of an illness, the Lakers said.
According to Robert Marvi of LeBron Wire, Russell might have picked up the “sickness bug” from teammates as other Lakers have been ill lately.
LeBron James had some cold-like symptoms about two weeks ago, and forward Rui Hachimura missed that last game versus Memphis due to illness.
Russell, who is probable to play against Memphis, was moved to the bench in favor of Cam Redish two games ago. Redick said he made the lineup switch for more balance, and Redish gives the Lakers top unit a defensive presence. Plus, the move gives the Lakers some pop off the bench, per Redick.
Russell has responded nicely to the move. Since the demotion, Russell has totaled 33 points on 13 of 25 (52%) shooting from the field, including 5 of 13 from deep (38.5%), while playing nearly the same amount of minutes. More importantly, the Lakers have won both contests, and their bench production has improved.
Through the season’s first eight games, the Lakers reserves averaged just 20.6 points (29th), shooting splits of 42.6/28.4/85.7, and a minus-2.9 plus/minus rating. Over the last two games, the Lakers bench has produced 36.0 points and a +8.0 rating while shooting 48.3/30.8/72.7.
Despite his recent and team success, Anthony Irwin of Clutch Points said there was some initial concern about the move.
Sources say the players were somewhat surprised Redick went away from Russell as quickly as he did, but, through improved communication, Redick has been able to maintain better buy-in. It also helped that he did give that group a shot from the onset of the season. Some internally are still concerned about how Russell will handle this over time, which makes it all the more important the Lakers keep winning as they figure out this new approach.
Cam Redish Has Been Productive Since Being Inserted In Rotation
Redish has been highly productive since he moved into the rotation. Redish has played in just half of the Lakers games and has seen regular playing time in the last three contests, including starting the last two. He has scored in double-figures twice in the three games.
Over the last three contests, Redish has averaged 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.7 assists. He also makes 1.3 3-pointers with shooting splits of 73.3/66.7/75.0. Additionally, the 25-year-old has been responsible for checking the opposition’s top perimeter scorer.
Redish has been great on the defensive end during these three games. He has held opponents to 6.3 points a game on 6.7 shot attempts, permitting his checks to shoot just 40% from the field. He has guarded Paul George, Jaren Jackson Jr., Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett.
“His energy,” James said, praising Redish after the game against Toronto. “He’s just very selfless, and his ability to defend on the perimeter is key for the ball club. Like I said the other night, with Vando being out, it takes one of our primary perimeter defenders that we know we can key in on a particular matchup.
“And now with Cam being inserting back into the the lineup and into the fray things, we know we have that one guy on the perimeter that we say, ‘Hey, that’s your match up tonight. Make it tough on them.”
Khobi Price of the Orange Couty Register reports that Redick also praised Redish for his defensive ability last week.
For us, having a defensive presence guarding the primary matchup, primary scorer, those are the things that we need Cam to do. I told him early in preseason, I said, ‘look, we’re going to figure out the offensive part of it and where we can have you feel like you have a role there. But full stop for you to get on the floor, it has to be on the defensive end.’ And over the last week, he’s really embraced that.”
Jaxson Hayes Questionable On Wednesday
Hayes is questionable for tonight’s game against Memphis (7-4). The 24-year-old big, who first popped up on the Lakers’ injury report in the team’s last game with left knee soreness, is dealing with a right ankle sprain.
Hayes has been very good off the bench for the Lakers, providing some scoring but, more importantly, rebounding and rim protection. He is coming off one of his best games of the season against Toronto, totaling a season-high 12 points on 4 of 6 shooting, six boards, and one block while posting a +21 rating in 21 minutes.
“I thought it was Jaxson, both sides of the ball,” Redick said. “Just doing his job, putting pressure on the rim, offensively screening, his offensive rebounding as well got us a couple extra possessions. And then he’s had back to back defensive games that were outstanding.”
Hayes produces 6.3 points and 4.6 caroms while shooting an extremely efficient 70% from the field. He scored twice in double-figures and grabbed 10 rebounds once, his lone start while Davis sat.
If Hayes can’t play, Koloko should see an uptick in minutes. The 7-1, 24-year-old has seen 15 minutes of action in two appearances since being cleared. He played 13:40 in his first game against Memphis.
Mike Trudell of Sprectum provided an update on Hayes:
Jaxson Hayes had an MRI to confirm a left ankle sprain that occurred during practice Tuesday. He will be re-evaluated in around one to two weeks.
With this update, Hayes will miss a minimum of four games. He will miss at least eight contests if it is closer to two weeks.
Dalton Knecht Not Losing Confidence
Dalton Knecht earned a spot with the Lakers’ second unit after an impressive NBA Summer League and Preseason showing. He has found the regular, but he has struggled lately. Knecht, who has scored in double figures twice, has tallied five or fewer points in five straight contests as he has struggled shooting. Known as a 3-point specialist, the 23-year-old wing is 8 of 28 (28.5%) from the field, including 4 of 18 (22.2%) from deep.
Knecht averages 6.1 points with shooting splits of 38.6/28.6/100. Despite the slow start, Knecht hasn’t lost confidence, Price said.
I’m not speaking for him, but I think for shooters, it’s hard mentally when you get off to a slow start shooting the ball,” Redick said. “It can kind of weigh on you. I’ve talked to him about it, he believes the next shot’s going in every single time. And so do I.”
Lakers Call-Up Bronny James
Bronny James will be active for the Lakers tonight against Memphis. James has played in each of the last three Lakers games, totaling just eight minutes of game time. He has four points and two assists in 16 minutes with the Lakers.
James has been up and down between the G-League South Bay and LA. He has played one game for South Bay, where he continued his shooting woes, connecting on just 2 of 9 shots and going 0 of 4 from deep. He did dole out four assists, come up with two steals, and one block in nearly 32 minutes a contest.
Expect James to keep shuffling between South Bay and Los Angeles. As the 20-year-old is slated to play in only home contests for South Bay, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Dave McMenamin explained on the latest episode of The Hoop Collective Podcast.
“Like on that scale, this is nothing. But I’m gonna, Dave, I’m gonna apply the brakes on my, everything’s fine on the Bronny front with this thing that’s now happening,” Windhorst said. “Which is that, from my understanding, he’s only gonna play in the South Bay Lakers home games.”
McMenamin disagreed with Windhorst based on his conversation with South Bay Lakers president Joey Buss.
“So I agree with your assessment of the situation. I will say that I did interview Joey Buss, the CEO and the president of South Bay Lakers, at the game Saturday against Utah or Salt Lake City Stars about that, how Bronny’s time will be managed. And on the record, he said that we’re going to take everything into consideration if there are times where we’re down on bodies, that could factor into the, injuries could factor into where he’s assigned, where the schedule is, the amount of games in a certain week for South Bay versus the amount of games for the Lakers.
“So on the record, the Lakers have not said that, you know, this notion that he definitively will be prioritizing Laker road games over wherever the South Bay Lakers are playing. We have to say that.”
