Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking the injured rotation players by impact

By Jason Reed | Nov 8, 2021

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 03: Wayne Ellington #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before the start of a pre-season game against the Brooklyn Nets at Staples Center on October 3, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

3. Trevor Ariza

Trevor Ariza had to undergo ankle surgery before he could even play a preseason game with the Los Angeles Lakers. The time of recovery at the time of the surgery was 6-8 weeks, and with Ariza’s age, a two-month timeline seems the most likely.

Ariza is a month into his recovery which means that he should return by early-to-mid December. When he does return, Ariza will give the Lakers some size and will allow the team to run a bigger lineup that does not include a center.

One of the gaps on the roster is the fact that the team does not have a second power forward behind Anthony Davis and the closest thing that the team has is Ariza. While Carmelo Anthony has been exceptional thus far, there are going to be times where the Lakers need the size and defense of Ariza.

Ariza is not an elite defender anymore but he still has value on the defensive side of the basketball. As a switch defender with size that does not have to go isolation against the team’s best player Ariza can add a lot of impact with his defensive IQ and length.

Offensively Ariza can be an off-ball shooter but he will naturally be the fourth or fifth scoring option any time that he is on the floor. If his defense is better than expected then his impact would be even greater.

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