Lakers news: Anthony Davis injury update, LeBron James out vs Heat, Lakers’ willingness to trade picks
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers have turned the calendar to 2023 and are currently on a two-game winning streak. While there is still a lot of work left to be done, this has at least given fans some hope that something can be salvaged from this season.
There are some pretty important benchmarks on the horizon as well. January 5 is the first day that the Lakers can sign players to 10-day contracts and they have the roster spot to do so. The trade deadline is also around the corner, so trade rumors will really start to heat up.
The next six weeks truly will make or break the Lakers’ season, setting the team up not just for the rest of the 2022-23 season but beyond. With the importance of this stretch in mind, the Lakers news cycle becomes all the more important.
Lakers news roundup:
- Adrian Wojnarowski provided a promising Anthony Davis injury update on ‘NBA Today’. According to Wojnarowski, Davis continues to be “relatively pain-free” and he even started doing some running on the court. His next step will be jumping and then seeing how it feels then.
- LeBron James is officially declared OUT against the Miami Heat on Wednesday with a non-COVID illness. James was originally listed as questionable.
- Lonnie Walker IV was also officially declared OUT against Miami with a knee injury. Walker has missed the last two games, with the Lakers winning both games.
- Sports Illustrated’s Howard Beck said on ‘The Crossover NBA Show‘ that there are rumblings that the Lakers front office was told not to trade first-round picks this season. Beck made it clear that they are just rumblings and not an official report.
NBA news roundup:
- Zion Williamson will miss at least three weeks with a hamstring strain. The New Orleans Pelicans are the third seed in the Western Conference with a 23-14 record. They play the Lakers in a month on February 4.
- Duncan Robinson will miss at least a month after having finger surgery. Robinson has had a down year, averaging 6.9 points in 17.9 minutes per game. He is shooting just 33.1% from three.
- The Dallas Mavericks have begun talking to Christian Wood about a contract extension. Dallas reportedly wants to sign a two-year extension instead of a long-term one. If the two sides cannot come to an agreement, Dallas may reportedly shop Wood at the deadline.
The Lakers play Wood and the Mavericks next Thursday as part of a tough slate of opponents on the horizon. If the Lakers can get through this stretch with a winning record that would be an incredible sign for things to come.
