The Lakers had high hopes going into this season, but the start has been a rollercoaster ride that has not let them settle. They’ve had some moments of individual brilliance that are keeping the fans from being completely disappointed.
Winning two out of their first three games, one would imagine that they are in a relatively comfortable position. But the truth is far from it. Seven players have been injured or sidelined during this stretch, and after every game, the injury list has continued to grow longer.
Los Angeles is shelling out approximately $195 million in total salaries for 2025-26. The seven injured players account for more than $132 million out of this. That means 80% of their carefully curated active roster is on the bench, injured, and unable to participate.
Out of the $195 million payroll, $30 million is in effect going to players who are no longer active on the roster (hence the 80% figure). However, in other words, 67% of their payroll money is benched for this game.
LeBron James, out with a right sciatica injury, has a $52 million cap hit this year and won’t return to the court till mid-November. There will be a re-evaluation at the beginning of November, which will decide when the King returns.
Luka Doncic, the other big star in purple and gold, will be out for one week due to a left finger sprain and a lower left leg contusion. He also carries a hefty $46 million salary for 2025-26. The tricky part with sprains is their unpredictability if the swelling or pain persists. For now, the team has declared that it will be a short-term absence.
With both their stars out, head coach JJ Reddick and the Lakers thought they would go to the bench, and they had some solid options there: Austin Reaves, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and Rui Hachimura.
They also had to assimilate Maxi Kleber and DeAndre Ayton into the lineup, while Marcus Smart would take up the veteran role. But even the bench and supporting players have been seriously inconsistent due to injuries.
Vincent will get an $11.5 million salary, but will be out for around a week due to a left ankle sprain. Generally, sprains take one to three weeks, depending on their severity. Reports have indicated that he was seen wearing a walking boot after rolling his ankle, which can be a sign of distress.
German power forward Kleber, carrying an $11 million cap hit, will also be re-evaluated in November first week after being sidelined by an oblique/ abdominal strain.
Smart, who was being looked at as the locker room voice, will put a $5.1 million dent on the Lakers’ cap and will be missing the next few games (one to two weeks) due to a right quad contusion.
Jaxson Hayes also needs rest and treatment, as he suffers from patellar tendinopathy in his left knee. With his $3 million salary, the Lakers expected him to pick up a substantial role from the bench and make his space in the roster. But all of that was sidelined along with him.
Former Kentucky forward and exciting rookie prospect Adou Thiero has a $1.2 million cap hit. But even that is probably stinging the Lakers’ front office and coaches because even he will not be available for the next couple of weeks.
During his time in Kentucky, he faced trouble with a left-knee hyperextension. It eventually required surgery and meant that Thiero had to miss the Summer League, training camp, and now the start of the season. Additionally, it is seen that teams take extra care with rookies coming back from knee surgeries, so the timeline might get extended.
The Lakers did a good job of putting together this roster around two giants of the game. But with injury luck not on their side yet, it doesn’t look like they will be able to take the time to develop different combinations and lineups.
Austin Reaves’ stellar offensive performances remain the only positive aspect of their season start, but hopefully, he soon gets the help he needs, both from players above and below him on the depth chart.
