The Los Angeles Lakers’ injury picture is beginning to trend in a more encouraging direction, with a positive update emerging regarding forward Rui Hachimura.
The most recent update on the 27-year-old indicated he would miss the two-game road trip against the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs after suffering a calf injury in the December 28 win over the Sacramento Kings.
Hachimura did not travel with the team, with the expectation that a return could come as soon as January 10 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
That timeline now appears more realistic. On Wednesday, Hachimura was assigned to the Lakers’ G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, to participate in practice activity.
The move is widely viewed around the league as a positive step in the recovery process, often signaling that a player is nearing a return to game action.
Similar assignments have previously been used by stars such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry as part of controlled ramp-ups following injury.
Lakers Monitoring Rui Hachimura’s Return
Before the injury, Hachimura had firmly established himself as a reliable piece in the Lakers’ starting lineup.
Through 27 games this season, he is averaging 12.7 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 52.1% from the field and a career-high 44.5% from three-point range on 4.1 attempts per game.
His absence, along with injuries to Austin Reaves and Gabe Vincent, has forced the Lakers to dig deeper into their rotation.
Jake LaRavia was elevated into the starting lineup and responded with 21 and 26 points in back-to-back wins over the Memphis Grizzlies to open the new year.
Beyond scoring, LaRavia has provided defensive activity and effort, recording nine steals across the four games Hachimura has missed.
Those performances have been critical for a team that has struggled to maintain continuity. Injuries and inconsistent availability have required head coach JJ Redick to frequently adjust lineups, increasing the importance of players who can impact games through defense, energy, and decision-making rather than pure scoring.
“We need his ability to score in bunches at times, obviously, with AR and Rui, Gabe out, that’s a lot of points,” LeBron James said following LaRavia’s standout performances. “To have that step up from Jake, we’ve needed it. He’s just playing with a lot of confidence and we need him to continue that.”
While LaRavia has taken advantage of his opportunity, Redick has also emphasized that earning minutes is tied to effort and two-way impact. Dalton Knecht, in particular, has been encouraged to focus on competing defensively and playing with urgency rather than judging success solely by shot-making.
Lakers Searching for Balance as Health Improves
Despite the turbulence caused by injuries and inconsistency on both ends of the floor, the Lakers have found momentum. They have won three straight games and improved to 23-11, climbing to third in the Western Conference and sitting just one game behind the San Antonio Spurs for second place.
The recent stretch has highlighted a broader need for balance. While calls for LaRavia to remain in the starting lineup have grown louder, the larger issue is the Lakers’ need for more complete contributions across the rotation, especially from the bench.
Los Angeles ranks last in the NBA in bench scoring at 25.0 points per game, a significant gap from the next closest team. That lack of production has placed added strain on the starters and limited line-up flexibility.
Hachimura’s return would help address some spacing concerns, but perimeter shooting remains a collective challenge. The Lakers rank 25th league-wide in three-pointers made per game (34.0), an issue magnified by Reaves’ absence too.
Reaves has taken a leap this season, averaging a career-high 26.6 points per game while shooting 36.5 percent from three on 7.4 attempts.
Offensively, the Lakers remain competitive thanks to Luka Doncic, who leads the league at 33.5 points per game, and James, who is averaging 29 points on 58.8% shooting during the current win streak.
The larger concern continues to come on the defensive end, where Los Angeles ranks second-worst in defensive rating over the past 15 games.
Still, with Hachimura nearing a return and key players gradually working their way back, the Lakers finally appear positioned to stabilize.
How quickly that health translates into defensive consistency and sustainable depth will determine whether this encouraging stretch becomes something more lasting.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Lakers Get Positive Injury Update on Key Starter appeared first on Heavy Sports.
