Lakers Finally Get Key Piece on the Floor Just as Others Depart

The Los Angeles Lakers lost Anthony Davis to an injury. He will sit out the next few weeks. Well, AD may be out but the Lakers got a key piece back in the game.

Trevor Ariza is back!

Lakers head coach Frank Vogel entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols. David Fizdale stepped in as a replacement for Vogel. He said Ariza will join his Lakers teammates for the first time in the regular season.

The Lakers are without Vogel, Malik Monk, Talen Horton-Tucker, Avery Bradley, Dwight Howard, and Kent Bazemore.

“Save that for the front office, guys, and Frank, please,” he said, “because I have no information on that standpoint. But what I do have is that Trevor Ariza is active and will be in the rotation tonight.”

Lakers get key piece for the win

Ariza hasn’t played with the Lakers at all, so Fizdale doesn’t have high expectations from him.

“Honestly, I don’t want to put any weight on what he can add right now, just happy to see him back on the floor, I think all of us are,” Fizdale said. “He’s been such an intricate part of our film sessions and our practice sessions with his voice. I know it’s been very frustrating for him, so I know it’s going to be great having him out there, competing for us and burning his lungs.”

Vogel wanted to see the best of Vogel and even came up with the perfect role for him. According to Vogel, Ariza is the perfect fit for a smallball lineup.

“What we gotta evaluate on a game-to-game basis, now that we’re playing one center,” Vogel said in an episode of Backstage Lakers, “are there times where we’re waiting for (Ariza) to get back to play him and Bron at the 3-4 and AD at the 5? But we have enough wings to play Bron at the 4.”

Lakers players have to stay healthy. They have important games on the schedule. Having Ariza in the fold will make things easier for everyone. LeBron is here. Russell Westbrook cleared COVID protocols.