The Los Angeles Lakers will likely debut their newest additions on Saturday against the Golden State Warriors, with the exception of Mo Bamba.
That’s because an injury report was recently released that listed only the 7-footer as out definitively.
Superstar big man Anthony Davis is listed as probable, while LeBron James is questionable due to left ankle soreness he has been dealing with all season. He missed Thursday’s tilt against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Luckily, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham is calling the injury “normal wear and tear.”
Newly acquired point guard D’Angelo Russell will likely start, and Lakers fans will also get to witness the debuts of power forward Jarred Vanderbilt and sharpshooter Malik Beasley.
Russell was recently acquired via trade with the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Lakers had to part ways with mercurial point guard Russell Westbrook and a lightly protected future first-round draft pick in order to get the deal done. Many were clamoring for Westbrook to be traded due to his low basketball IQ, high turnover propensity and unwillingness to hold himself accountable.
The former Timberwolves point guard brings with him career averages of 17.7 points and 5.7 assists per game on 42.4 percent shooting from the field and 36.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
A lot of fans are more excited about what versatile defender Vanderbilt can bring to the team. The Lakers have been lacking in the wing department all season long.
Vanderbilt is 6-foot-8 and 214 pounds with a 7-foot-1 wing span. His ability to defend forwards and centers while also being able to switch onto guards on the perimeter should provide an immediate boost.
The Lakers are running out of time to make a postseason push as they are currently 25-31 in the Western Conference and now 2.5 games out of the play-in tournament. With 26 games left in the season, many are saying the Lakers need to go at least 16-10 the rest of the way to secure a spot in the playoffs.
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