After playing the Nuggets on Friday with six rotation players out, the Lakers are slowly but surely returning to full health.
The injury report heading into Sunday’s matinee has Luka Dončić and Jaxson Hayes upgraded to probable for the team’s upcoming matchup against the Suns.
Dalton Knecht, who suffered a rough fall after a late dunk against the Nuggets, is also listed as probable.
Los Angeles fought valiantly in Denver against the Nuggets, but with so many players missing, they couldn’t pull off the upset. The purple and gold have now dropped four consecutive games.
Clearly, the Lakers having their superstar Luka back, along with their starting big, Hayes, would be a positive step forward in the health department.
If Luka is back in the lineup, they should be in a good position to beat the Suns at home and end their losing streak. On the season, Luka is averaging 27.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game.
While Hayes was out, the Lakers leaned on Alex Len as their starter. While Len did the best he could, he wasn’t the lob threat, rebounder, or help defender Hayes is, and the team struggled.
A return for Hayes gives Luka back the big man he’s found so much success with and gets the Lakers another step closer to full strength.
Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent are also on the injury report and are listed as questionable to play. Given that this game has a very early start in Los Angeles and both players missed Friday’s game, it’s unlikely they will suit up.
Last but certainly not least are Rui Hachimura and LeBron James, who are still listed as out. With LeBron expected to be out 1-2 weeks with a groin strain and Hachimura getting re-evaluated later this week, this comes as no surprise.
Hopefully, everyone can return at some point during this five-game homestand.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at@ECreates88or on Bluesky at@ecreates88.bsky.social.