Sources: Lakers to test Russ with second unit

The Los Angeles Lakers volition bring Russell Westbrook disconnected the seat for their last preseason game, a determination that mightiness beryllium a precursor to a longer look astatine the nine-time All-Star defender quarterbacking the 2nd team, sources told ESPN connected Friday.

Lakers manager Darvin Ham and Westbrook discussed the anticipation of him serving arsenic a sixth antheral passim the offseason, and sources said the 2 discussed it again Thursday up of the roadworthy crippled Friday against the Sacramento Kings.

The Lakers privation to springiness Westbrook a accidental to play some faster and freer with the shot successful his hands starring the 2nd unit, thing possibly mirroring the autonomy that Rajon Rondo had during the 2019-20 season.

Westbrook, who is connected a $47 cardinal expiring contract, has been the taxable of galore commercialized discussions passim the offseason, and that is expected to proceed done the commencement of the regular play and toward the February commercialized deadline. Westbrook has started 1,004 of his 1,021 vocation NBA games -- coming disconnected the seat lone successful his archetypal 17 games arsenic a rookie successful 2008.

This would beryllium the Lakers' sixth antithetic lineup successful six preseason games, thing Ham said Thursday would beryllium by design.

"It's antithetic combinations of seeing antithetic guys play together," Ham said. "You person to hole yourself. You got to get retired successful beforehand of the information that there's going to beryllium injuries. We don't privation them to happen. We don't privation them to hap to immoderate of our guys, fto unsocial our main guys. You conscionable person to hole yourself and beryllium astatine the forefront of that by plugging successful antithetic lineups, antithetic players and antithetic positions truthful that erstwhile that time comes, you consciousness a small spot much prepared."

The Lakers volition beryllium without Anthony Davis for the preseason finale. Davis did not marque the travel to Sacramento, with Los Angeles holding him retired for precautionary reasons arsenic helium continues to negociate little backmost tightness, according to the team. Davis is expected to beryllium successful the lineup Tuesday for the regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors.

Point defender Dennis Schroder besides volition not play against the Kings due to the fact that of a thumb wounded that volition sideline him for the commencement of the season, sources told ESPN.

Ham said Lonnie Walker IV (ankle) and Juan Toscano-Anderson (quad) some practiced Thursday and that helium planned for them to play against the Kings.