Lakers News: Top Contributor Won’t Play Against Hornets Monday

LA will need some other role players to step up.

Your Los Angeles Lakers will be down two starters this evening, as they hope to conclude their road trip with a victory against the lowly 10-27 Charlotte Hornets.

Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report reveals that starting LA swingman Lonnie Walker IV (who has alternately been the team's starting shooting guard and, as Darvin Ham has insanely opted to get even smaller in his backcourt, the team's starting small forward) will miss his second consecutive game with a tailbone contusion.

The 6'4" Walker has been one LA's most reliable scorers this season, ranking third on the team in that department behind only LeBron James and Anthony Davis. For the year, he is averaging 14.7 points on .455/.384/.875 shooting splits, 2.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.8 steals a night, across 32 healthy contests. On Friday, 6'5" wing Austin Reaves was elevated to the starting small forward gig in Walker's absence, but there's a chance Darvin Ham opts to start the bigger, longer Troy Brown Jr. instead. Reaves is in a bit of a mini-shooting slump, having gone just 1-for-18 in his last two games from the field.

All-Star center Anthony Davis, of course, will continue to be shelved as he rehabilitates from the stress injury to his lower right foot that has impeded his availability since it was first incurred on December 16th.

Two-way rookie signings Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cole Swider remain with LA's NBAGL affiliate, the South Bay Lakers. 38-year-old All-Star LeBron James, hot off a 47-point, 10-rebound, nine-assist masterpiece against the Atlanta Hawks Friday, is merely probable with a sore left ankle, but he's been probable for pretty much every game this season, so this writer expects the 6'9" power forward to play.