The Lakers vs Nuggets game day is the Los Angeles Lakers’ last chance to see their rotation before the games count. The Lakers (2-2) host the Denver Nuggets tonight at 7:30 p.m. PT at Crypto.com Arena, on ESPN. After Thursday’s practice, JJ Redick said Luka Doncic was “a full participant.” Collin Sexton did everything except the live portion, and rookie Cameron Carr is still out. Five days later, on October 21, the Golden State Warriors come to Crypto.com Arena for the regular-season opener.
Our Lakers roster cut piece covered the 16-contract problem and Jake Fischer’s trade report. This piece covers Thursday’s injury news, Wednesday’s roster move and what to watch tonight.
Lakers vs Nuggets Game Day: Redick’s Injury Update
Redick gave the update after Thursday’s practice. The quote below is from Lakers Nation and Infanity TV’s video of the session:
“Ziaire [Williams] was a full participant in practice,” Redick said. “Collin [Sexton] did everything but live. So he did all the drills for an hour and we did some up-and-down drills versus coaches and then we played live the rest of practice. Adou [Thiero] was a participant. Cam [Carr] is out… Everybody else is trending in the right direction.” He also said Doncic was a full participant.
- Luka Doncic: full participant after resting in Las Vegas on Tuesday. The New York Post also reported it.
- Collin Sexton (lower leg): everything but live play. He has not played this preseason. Daniel Starkand of Lakers Nation reported that Redick called him “trending in the right direction” to be ready for opening night.
- Ziaire Williams (left foot contusion): full participant. Lakers Nation reports that Williams himself was not sure whether he would play tonight.
- Adou Thiero (maintenance): Redick called his Tuesday absence “just maintenance,” per Lakers Nation.
- Cameron Carr: out with an undisclosed injury that has kept him out of practices and games for about a week, per Lakers Nation.
Redick was not worried about getting everyone into tonight’s game. “Can’t control it, so it’s not even a concern,” he said. “Play the guys who can play.”
Infanity TV’s full video of Redick’s session:
Source Note: Was Thiero Full or Partial?
Reports describe Thiero’s practice differently. The New York Post says he was a partial participant. Daniel Starkand’s post, quoted by Sports Illustrated and Fadeaway World, calls him a full participant. Redick’s own words were “Adou was a participant.” We are flagging the difference rather than choosing one.
Wednesday’s Roster Move
On Wednesday night the Lakers signed guard Jahmir Young and waived forward Cole Swider, according to Sports Illustrated’s Lakers On SI and Hoops Nightly. Lakers On SI calls it a move on the margins, with both players likely to end up with the Coachella Valley Lakers in the G League. That is an expectation, not an announcement. Hoops Nightly also reports, citing The Athletic’s Dan Woike, that a second player signed a camp deal the same day. We could not confirm that with a second source.
The move does not change the main problem. The Lakers still have 16 guaranteed standard contracts and need to get to 15 by the league’s roster deadline on Monday, October 19, at 2 p.m. PT. Fischer reported Wednesday that the Lakers are exploring trades. No deal has been reported. Lakers On SI lists Bronny James, Jaden Hardy, Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt as the players most often mentioned.
Why Tonight Matters
Lakers On SI calls the finale “crucial” to the roster decision, and Redick has two open starting spots to fill. Last time out, with Doncic resting, Redick started Jake LaRavia, Matisse Thybulle and Quentin Grimes next to Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler. If Doncic plays tonight, this is the first time the preseason shows the likely top group together: Doncic, Reaves and Kessler.
Williams talked about his role next to the two stars this week: Ziaire Williams on Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves: “Take the Load Off Those Guys”.
Kessler played only the first half in Las Vegas. He had 11 points and nine rebounds in 16 minutes, and the Lakers were plus-15 with him on the floor and minus-27 without him, per ESPN. How many minutes he plays tonight, and whether he plays in the second half, is worth watching.
Chemistry has been a theme all week. Grimes talked about the Slovenia trip with Doncic, which has come up throughout camp, in another Infanity TV clip: Quentin Grimes on Luka Doncic’s Slovenia Trip: “Everybody Got Each Other’s Back”. Redick said this week that integrating the new players “has been pretty seamless.”
The Turnover Problem
The Lakers committed 29 turnovers in Las Vegas, 18 of them in the second half, per ESPN. Redick blamed being “unorganized.” Bronny James had four, and Chris Manon and Jaden Hardy also had several. A cleaner game from the backup guards, especially James, Knecht and Hardy, who are all under roster scrutiny, would help their cases.
Scouting the Nuggets
Denver lost 122-110 at the Clippers on Wednesday in its own finale. Nikola Jokic played 17 minutes and had five points and seven assists. Jamal Murray scored 14 on 6-of-8 shooting, and Trevon Brazile had 22 off the bench, per the ESPN box score. Julian Strawther hurt his left knee in the third quarter and was helped to the locker room, per the Press Enterprise. His status for tonight has not been reported.
Denver came into that game 2-1 in the preseason, so it is 2-2 now. Denver stayed in Los Angeles between the two games. How long the Nuggets play their starters tonight is unconfirmed.
What to Watch
- Doncic, Reaves and Kessler together. The first look at the expected core.
- The two open starting spots. LaRavia, Grimes, Thybulle and Williams are the candidates.
- The roster bubble. Minutes for James, Knecht, Hardy and Vanderbilt.
- Sexton. Whether he plays at all. Redick’s update makes it unlikely but not ruled out.
Unconfirmed
- Whether Doncic, Sexton, Williams and Thiero play tonight. No official status has been announced.
- Any trade or waiver before Monday’s deadline.
- Strawther’s injury and Denver’s minutes plan.
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