Adou Thiero could be back on the court for the Los Angeles Lakers by the end of the week, according to head coach JJ Redick. The second-year forward has been sidelined by swelling in his left knee, preventing him from suiting up for any regular season games so far.
The Long Road Back to the Court
Thiero earned some serious buzz during the offseason and training camp, with coaches praising his development and dedication. But despite all that hard work, the swelling in his left knee has kept him off the floor. Head coach JJ Redick told reporters before the Lakers’ win over the Miami Heat on Monday that Thiero has “had some live exposures” and is “trending in the right direction.” The hope is he’ll be “available” by Sunday.
A Worrying Trend for the Lakers’ Young Forward
This isn’t Thiero’s first battle with knee issues. His rookie season was riddled with injuries. He missed the entire preseason and the first 13 regular season games because of swelling in his left knee, the exact same issue he’s facing now. Then, a sprained MCL in his right knee knocked him out from late December until mid-February. While a quick return is great news, that recurring swelling in the same knee has to be a red flag, right?
Still, when he’s healthy, Thiero brings some much-needed impact. His point-of-attack defense and all-around activity really popped during preseason, and that’s something the Lakers’ 18th-ranked defense desperately needs. They’ve struggled to contain the ball and look athletically overmatched on the perimeter at times. With his size and athleticism, especially playing alongside guys like Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, Thiero could be a crucial piece to fix some of those defensive holes, and maybe even find an offensive role.
For now, though, the main goal is just getting him fully healthy. Once he’s back, then the conversation can shift to where he fits into a Lakers wing rotation that has had a pretty commendable start through eight games. Until then, Los Angeles will keep leaning on Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle, Jake LaRavia, and Quentin Grimes to handle the forward minutes.
The Lakers are looking for their seventh win of the season this Wednesday night when they face the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center at 7 p.m. It’ll be a big test, and everyone will be watching to see if Thiero can finally make his return soon and boost this Lakers defense.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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