The injuries are mounting up for the Los Angeles Lakers. All-NBA Los Angeles small forward LeBron James may miss his team’s second and final regular season game of the year against the Milwaukee Bucks. Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, the 20-time All-Star has been listed as doubtful to suit up for LA due to a left ankle peroneal tendinopathy.
James also sat out LA’s home game against the Bucks on March 8th. Without him available, point guard D’Angelo Russell took on the scoring reins for the Lakers, scoring 44 points (including the decisive floater with 5.8 seconds remaining) to secure a 123-122 victory.
The NBA’s latest injury report doesn’t stop there, unfortunately for LA. Four other Lakers who have become mainstays on said injury report remain on the shelf.
All-Stars LeBron James #23 and Anthony Davis #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers stand for the national anthem before their game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on January 27, 2024 in San… EZRA SHAW/GETTY IMAGES
Reserve point guard Gabe Vincent remains sidelined following his left knee effusion surgery. The 6’3″ vet, inked to a three-year, $33 million deal with the Lakers in the 2023 offseason, has played just five games this season with his new team, and has effectively been replaced in head coach Darvin Ham’s lineups by buyout market signing Spencer Dinwiddie. Vincent is apparently working towards a comeback by the end of the season, though it remains to be seen whether or not he can crack his way into the rotation again.
Backup Lakers big man Christian Wood underwent a recent left knee surgery, and is still considered unlikely to return this year. He was added on a veteran’s minimum contract.
Reserve Los Angeles combo forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who agreed to a four-year, $48 million contract extension (which will kick in next season) with the Lakers last summer, is still out due to his lingering right midfoot strain. The 6’9″ Kentucky product, one of LA’s top perimeter defenders, has played in just 29 contests this year.
The Lakers will certainly miss The Chosen One if he does indeed have to sit. Across 62 contests with the Lakers this year (already his most since the team’s championship run in 2019-20), James is averaging 25.4 points on .530/.406/.751 shooting splits, 8.1 assists, 7.2 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 06. blocks a night. He’s the fulcrum of his club’s offense. Without James available last time, Darvin Ham opted to elevate Dinwiddie into a three-guard starting lineup. Another option could be starting 3-and-D backup combo forward Taurean Prince.
Two-way Lakers center Colin Castleton, meanwhile, is on the shelf recovering from a right wrist fracture. Little-used rookie first round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino is recovering from his recent lumbar disc surgery.