What the loss of Nick Young means for an already thin Lakers backcourt
With Nick Young out, Kobe Bryant may have to pick up the slack. (Getty)The Lakers announced Friday night that Nick Young is out 6-8 weeks with a torn ligament in his thumb.
That's a tough break for a player that fans have really taken to since his arrival in LA, and who the Lakers really need as a bench scoring force behind Kobe Bryant, especially if there will be any minutes restriction on Bryant coming off of two major leg injuries. The man known as Swaggy P has captured the imagination of fans thanks to his entertaining personality, his hilarious Instagram account, and his relationship with pop star Iggy Azalea.
But he also was going to play a significant role as a perimeter scorer on this team. Young is efficient, but can produce points, and he can be a bit of a space cadet on both ends but he's a willing defender and that's going to be a big deal for this team.
Meanwhile, Xavier Henry is still not ready and may not be ready for opening night. Steve Nash is going to be a question mark until he shows he can play consistently, and Bryant is still continuing his progress towards being 100 percent.
Their options at backup two-guard could come down to Ronnie Price, Wayne Ellington or Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson has impressed Bryant in practice, and Wesley Johnson will likely start at small forward.
Keeping minutes off of Bryant is going to be the big problem. Containing Bryant's competitiveness is already a big task for Byron Scott, but doing so without a viable backup in games in which the Lakers are fighting tooth and nail through three quarters will be even harder; Scott wants to win.
Young wasn't just a mascot, he's a legitimate scoring threat who can spread the floor and create a little bit off the dribble. He's largely inefficient and has a penchant for horrific shot selection, but he's also a threat on the perimeter, and that helps with spacing. Without him, sets without Bryant could become clogged, making it harder for a frontcourt that's already missing a consistent post threat beyond Carlos Boozer, unless Julius Randle is able to actually get time (which is a whole other question all together).
And more minutes for Bryant could lead to a further degradation of his body. Prior to Bryant's return last year, Ken Berger touched on the complicated nature of radical injuries and how they can complicate other issues with the body.
As with any tendon injury, the rupture is repaired surgically and the tendon needs time to heal. Bryant, being a world-class athlete and a conditioning marvel of the modern sports era, will recover from that injury. Even at 35, his tendon will heal, the surrounding tissue will repair itself, and Bryant gradually will return to full, weight-bearing athletic activity involving a basketball and a hoop, as he has been doing for his entire adult life.
But what about the rest of him? That's where the focus should be as Bryant makes the transition from rehab and recovery to strength and conditioning, and ultimately, to on-court performance.
Read this quote that Lakers spokesman John Black gave to the Los Angeles Times, and you will get an idea of what I mean: 'One of the key issues is to make sure he builds up strength and endurance not only in his Achilles but also in his legs, knees, back and core.'
In my opinion, that isn't merely one of the key issues. It's the key issue.
via The biggest question about Kobe Bryant isn't his Achilles - CBSSports.com.
Bryant is said to be in incredible shape, and looks on track to play in both preseason and the regular season opener. But it's never those one-off games. It's the wear and tear of the grind of the season. That's a tougher thing to deal with when you don't feel like there's a backup. If they had a better small forward, they could move Wesley Johnson to backup two. They can try a dual-point guard lineup with Steve Nash and Jeremy Lin but a. Nash has to be able to play b. Nash has to be able to play extended minutes and c. Lord have mercy, the defense.
Clarkson could surprise as the answer here. He's a pure-two, can shoot and handle, and that's all you really need. If he's lost defensively, that's OK, this is the Lakers. If he's not efficient, that's OK, this is the Lakers. They just have to float by until Young gets back after the first 15 games.
Until then, LA will have less swag, and Kobe Bryant may have to shoulder a bigger load.
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