Lakers Injury Report: LA All-Star Misses Shootaround Ahead of Suns Preseason Rematch

Will he suit up for the Lakers' penultimate preseason matchup Thursday night?

Dec 5, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Cam Reddish (5) forward Anthony Davis (3) and forward LeBron James (23) celebrate a basket scored against the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the In Season Tournament quarterfinal at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

20-time All-NBA combo forward LeBron James missed the team's pregame shootaround Thursday morning, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Los Angeles is in Phoenix for a rematch against the Suns, scheduled for 7 p.m. PT at Footprint Center.

Like most NBA starters, James has been played sparingly throughout the preseason thus far. Across the three bouts he has played, the 39-year-old superstar has averaged just 18.5 minutes a night. He's averaging 12.0 points on .469/.571/.667 shooting splits, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists (against 3.0 turnovers), and 0.7 blocks a game. Thus far, he has missed just one of L.A.'s four preseason contests.

So will James suit up for the Lakers' penultimate preseason matchup Thursday night?ESPN's NBA Injury Status page lists the four-time MVP as officially day-to-day.

Four Lakers frontcourt players, however, aren't so lucky.

Forward Armel Traore, power forward Jarred Vanderbilt, power forward/center Christian Wood, and center Christian Koloko are all expected to be shelved through the rest of the preseason.

Traore, who inked a two-way contract after going undrafted this summer, continues to grapple with swelling in his right hand. Vanderbilt, who missed all but 29 games last year, is progressing from a lingering foot injury. Koloko, another two-way signing, missed all of the 2023-24 season due to a blood clotting issue. The Lakers are hoping the NBA will clear him in time for the start of the team's regular season start on October 22. Koloko was signed in part to account for the extended absence of Wood, who's still on the mend following a September arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. He is set to be out until at least early November.

The Lakers have gone 1-3 thus far this preseason, during their first four games under first-time head coach JJ Redick. Rookie shooting guard Dalton Knecht, whom L.A. selected with the No. 17 pick in the draft out of the University of Tennessee, has looked almost ready to roll. In 25.4 minutes off the bench, the 6-foot-6 swingman is averaging 13.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks a night. The Lakers will need all the bench help they can get this year. Young players like Knecht, newly re-signed swingman Max Christie (whose output has not been as robust as Knecht's this preseason), and veterans like Gabe Vincent and Vanderbilt need to step up for Los Angeles.

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