The Los Angeles Lakers received some positive news on Wednesday, as a few key players are on the verge of returning.
Wayne Ellington will be available to play for L.A. on Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Meanwhile, Kent Bazemore and Austin Reaves have both cleared health and safety protocols. They won’t play against Memphis, but it sounds like they’ll be good to go on Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Lakers said Kent
Bazemore and Austin Reaves both cleared protocols but will be out tonight due to “return to competition reconditioning.” Both will be available on Friday.
Wayne Ellington is also upgraded to available for tonight.— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) December 29, 2021
Given the way COVID-19 is impacting the season, simply having NBA-caliber players available is a positive thing for any team right now. The Lakers are surely happy that Ellington will be able to play on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old has appeared in 26 games this season. He has started eight of them. He’s averaging 6.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.
As for Reaves and Bazemore, it sounds like their returns will come against a struggling Trail Blazers team. Portland can’t seem to catch a break this season.
Reaves has quickly become a fan favorite in L.A., so his return will likely be met with some excitement. He’s averaging 5.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game this season. He’s shooting 50.0 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from deep.
Bazemore, meanwhile, has appeared in 21 games and started 14 of them. He’s averaging 4.3 points and 2.1 rebounds per contest.
The Lakers are trying to build some momentum and get their season on the right track. The team is 17-18 so far. Perhaps some of these players’ returns will provide L.A. with the boost the squad needs in order to start turning things around.
