Before the official start of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers are already dealing with a notable loss in their rotation. After this week’s preseason game against the Kings, backup guard Dennis Schroder suffered a finger injury that could keep him out for the season opener.
And while the injury isn’t believed to be serious, there are reportedly some growing concerns that it could have a long-term impact on his play this season.
The Lakers Are Concerned About Dennis Schroder’s Durability Amid Injury Troubles
In a recent appearance on ‘The Rally,’ Shams Charania dropped the details and explained the team’s response to the latest turn of events.
“Sources tell me that Dennis Schroder did not travel to the Lakers preseason game in Sacramento,” Charania said. “He’s going to continue to be evaluated with a right finger injury. The Lakers do have some worry that this could be a long-term injury for him. But they remain to wait and seeing how the evaluation goes.”
He also revealed the status of Russell Westbrook.
“As far as Russell Westbrook, another guard on the Laker roster, he will be coming off the bench tonight according to my sources,” Charania said. “The Lakers have been debating and discussing this potential move for the last couple months and weeks, and so they will continue to look at this as a possibility as the regular season gets going next week.”
“The Lakers do have some worry that this could be a long-term injury for [Dennis Schroder]."
— Shams Charania https://t.co/9f9vpfYIvj https://t.co/mkjjq9EB25
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) October 14, 2022
The NBA community is still mostly mixed on the prognosis for the Lakers this season. While they have made a number of notable changes, is it enough for them to contend with the elites?
Certainly, with LeBron James, anything is possible, and the Lakers firmly believe they have a chance as long as he is on the team. Anthony Davis, who appears healthy and in shape for the first time in a while, is also gearing up for a big season.
Still, the Russell Westbrook problem exists, and it remains to be seen if the Purple and Gold have come up with any solutions on how to make their stars work well together.
But with guys like Schroder, the Lakers have some depth that should alleviate some of the pressure from LeBron, AD, and even Westbrook himself. But Schroder will have to stay healthy to be his best self, and there are some troubling signs that his current injury could linger well into the start of the new season.
