In the preseason finale against the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Lakers suffered a scare when Jordan Clarkson injured his right shoulder. While he did not return for the second half, his MRI returned back normal and is considered day-to-day.
With the Lakers hosting the Minnesota Timberwolves in their season opener on Oct. 28, there were concerns Clarkson may not play. However, the second-year guard says he expects to play according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN:
Clarkson said he expects to play Wednesday.
— Baxter Holmes (@Baxter) October 24, 2015
While Clarkson participated in practice, there is still pain in his shoulder according to Mark Medina of Los Angeles Daily News:
Jordan Clarkson did everything in practice. But he still reported feeling pain in his shoulder
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) October 24, 2015
While Clarkson expects to play in the season opener against the Timberwolves, it is unclear if Kobe will play after only getting shots up and receiving treatment. Should Kobe not be ready, rookie Anthony Brown is expected to start at small forward.
Heading into the new season, the Lakers showed their potential during preseason, but had their fair share of struggles. With 16 players remaining on their training camp roster, the final spot will likely come down to Metta World Peace or Jabari Brown.