Lakers head coach JJ Redick said before Wednesday’s game that LeBron James is now projected to rejoin the lineup in the second or third week of November. The star forward, sidelined by sciatica since the summer, will be re-evaluated later this week to gauge his progress.
Redick also provided an update on Luka Dončić, who missed his third consecutive contest Wednesday with a left-hand finger sprain and a leg contusion. The coach noted the swelling in Dončić’s hand has dropped from twice its normal size to roughly 1.5 times, adding that the team hopes to have the guard back “in the next couple of games.” Dončić, listed as day-to-day, is not traveling with the club on its current road trip, which concludes Friday in Memphis.
Front-court updates
Backup center Jaxson Hayes, out for three games with soreness in his left knee, was upgraded to available Wednesday. He had logged 14 minutes in the season opener, his lone appearance so far. Guard Marcus Smart sat out a second straight game because of a right quad contusion.
Rookie progressing
The Lakers announced that first-year forward Adou Thiero has been cleared for live contact. The next step for the rookie, who is rehabbing a college knee injury, is full 5-on-5 work with both the NBA squad and the G League South Bay Lakers.
Reaves-Ayton connection
With James and Dončić unavailable, Austin Reaves has taken on expanded ball-handling duties and has quickly developed chemistry with new center Deandre Ayton. Over the past two games, Reaves has scored 92 points and recorded 14 assists, many of them through pick-and-roll actions with Ayton. “He’s been awesome,” Reaves said of his teammate, noting Ayton’s willingness to listen to input from players and coaches while also voicing his own preferences.
The Lakers entered Wednesday having played four games this season.
Source: Hoops Rumors
