The Los Angeles Lakers are getting bit by the injury bug yet again this year. The season is young and, luckily, none of the Lakers’ superstar players have dealt with any ailments, but that doesn’t mean their role players aren’t getting hit with injuries left and right. First, Trevor Ariza underwent a procedure on his right ankle last week that will keep him sidelined until he is re-evaluated in six-to-eight weeks. Today, it was announced that Talen Horton-Tucker will miss time after undergoing surgery on a torn ligament in his right thumb. In between that Malik Monk sat out Sunday’s loss against the Suns (THT also sat out that game but he was “going through the medical process” at that point) due to a strained groin.
Before Sunday’s game, head coach Frank Vogel gave some additional information on Monk’s groin, saying he’d be out for a week and would be re-evaluated at that time. He added that the team is hopeful he will be available for October 19th’s season opener against the Warriors (h/t to Jacob Rude and Silver Screen & Roll).
Frank Vogel says Malik Monk will likely be out a week with a strained groin. THT is "going through the medical process" still
— Jacob Rude (@JacobRude) October 11, 2021
The news for Malik Monk is at least a little more promising than the news we’ve received for Ariza and THT as he will not be out for anywhere near the amount of time those two will be out (THT’s exact timetable is unknown at this point). However, it is a little sad that his momentum from this preseason won’t carry directly into the regular season as he has been one of the bright spots of the Lakers 0-4 start to the exhibition games. He’s averaged 12.7 points in 21.0 minutes per game, making eight of his 17 three-pointers taken (47.1%) in his three games played.
Despite a previous report that Wayne Ellington and Trevor Ariza would start alongside the Lakers’ Big Three, Malik Monk was really starting to make a case for himself to be the starting shooting guard on this team. It’s sad to see him get injured at this time, however, with Ariza sidelined combined with Monk’s stellar play so far, that still might be a possibility once he returns.
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