The Los Angeles Lakers announced that both Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant have progressed well from their respective thumb surgeries and are set to be reevaluated on Thursday, Nov. 17.
If that evaluation went well then it’s not out of the question that both could be cleared to play on Friday, Nov. 18 vs. the Detroit Pistons.
This represents some rare good news for a struggling Lakers team that has been hit by the injury bug early in the season.
Schroder is coming off a great summer in which he played extremely well for Germany in EuroBasket. He will give the Lakers some defensive toughness, playmaking and dribble penetration that they have lacked in his absence.
Schroder was seen getting some shots up before the Lakers’ game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday, not showing any signs of pain despite his thumb being taped up:
Dennis Schroeder out here getting in some pregame work. #Lakers put out an upgrade earlier today that he and Thomas Bryant are progressing and will be reevaluated next Thursday. pic.twitter.com/1OIB2vHEU0
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) November 12, 2022
Some more Schroder video. Hard to tell here but his surgically repaired thumb is taped up. pic.twitter.com/SkJlJJEMGJ
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) November 12, 2022
And without Bryant, the Lakers have often been forced to go small with Anthony Davis at center which has hurt their interior defense and rebounding. Getting another 7-footer in the mix in Bryant who can also knock down some outside shots should help Darvin Ham’s rotations.
The Lakers cannot continue to use injuries as an excuse though as they currently sit at 2-10, tied for the worst record in the league. If things do not begin to turn around quickly then the Lakers risk their season being lost before the turn of the new year.
So while getting players like Schroder and Bryant back will certainly help, the players currently in the lineup need to take it upon themselves to begin getting the team in the right direction.
Lakers workout pair of veteran free agents
As the Lakers continue to struggle and the injuries pile up, it seems they may be seeking some reinforcements from outside the organization. According to a recent report, free-agent wings Joe Wieskamp and Tony Snell recently worked out for L.A. in hopes of landing a contract.
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