The Los Angeles Lakers were down four of their regular starters by the end of their disappointing 103-88 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. Where there is misfortune, there is opportunity.
Austin Reaves (left calf strain), Deandre Ayton (left elbow soreness), and Rui Hachimura (right groin soreness) all missed the matchup. Luka Doncic wound up exiting from the game with a left leg contusion. That left LeBron James out there all by his lonesome.
"No matter what the circumstances are, it's still next man up," James told Dave McMenamin and the rest of the media after the loss. "We're all professionals. We all got to stay ready."
The severity involving some of these injuries for the Lakers is still unclear. What is known about the situation is what James said. Players in Los Angeles will be asked to step up. Perhaps this will finally give rookie Adou Thiero an opportunity to get some valuable reps with the A-team.
Lakers injuries could allow Adou Thiero to find a spot in JJ Redick's rotation
Thiero is unlikely to get a permanent spot in JJ Redick's rotation during the 2025-26 season. Despite the need for defense, the Lakers have made it clear with their actions that this season will largely be a developmental year for their rookie.
Thus far, Thiero has only played 5.5 minutes per game during his 11 appearances for Los Angeles. There is not much to speak of when it comes to his statistics or standout highlights, apart from the viral moment involving a game ball earlier this season.
There have been three games played for the 2025 second-round pick down in the G League. With the South Bay Lakers, Thiero has averaged 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game, shooting 55.6 percent from the field.
The athleticism is something that constantly pops for the former Arkansas product. With the Lakers potentially running short on options to feature, what Thiero can do with his wowing physical skill set could earn him a handful of minutes off the bench.
How would the rookie in Los Angeles ensure that playing time does not go away in the short-term? Marcus Smart had a great answer for that earlier this season.
Smart said, "We got a lot of guys that can score the ball. There's not a lot of guys that wanna play defense. So being able to go out there and play that defensive role gets you on the court."
The Lakers' need for reliable defense has been painfully obvious to just about everyone. If Thiero can turn his athleticism into hounding pressure and consistent stops, the 21-year-old could earn himself some valuable experience in the immediate future.