Jeremy Lin Gets Break, More Playing Time As Nick Young Injures Thumb In Training Camp


Shooting guard Nick Young injured his right thumb in the Los Angeles Lakers 2014 training camp and it could be a blessing in disguise for one of its new acquisitions like Jeremy Lin as the 2014-2015 NBA Season is set to start in under a month’s time.

Mike Bresnahan, a beat writer for the Los Angeles Times, tweeted the Young’s injury on Tuesday:

Nick Young has a torn ligament in his right thumb and will miss about eight weeks, The Times has learned. Bad start for the Lakers.

— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) October 4, 2014

Young suffered the injury during one of the Lakers’ practices in the preseason hurting his thumb while playing defense against teammate Kobe Bryant. Young’s injury will put him out of commission for about two months which means that other players like Jeremy Lin and rookie Jordan Clarkson will have to step-up in his place about one month into the new NBA season. Young is pegged as the sixth man of the team backing-up the come-backing Kobe Bryant at the shooting guard spot.

Another back-up wingman for the Lakers, Xavier Henry is also injured for the Lakers missing training camp action with back spasms. Without Young and possibly, Henry to start the NBA season, one player that is prime to move up in the Lakers ladder is Jeremy Lin, who has the most experience among the guards in the roster. Lin can serve as a back-up either to Bryant at the SG spot or Nash at the PG spot.

In time with the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets, Lin has shown the ability to play as a combo guard.

Meanwhile, in a related development, Eric Pincus another sportswriter who covers the Lakers tweeted L.A.’s possible starting unit when the NBA season opens:

Lakers officially list probable starters for 1st preseason game (vs. Denver) as Nash/Kobe/Wes/Boozer/Hill — Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) October 4, 2014

Even with the injuries to Nick Young and Xavier Henry, the starting line-up for the Los Angeles Lakers looks compettive but questions on the health of its veteran backcourt— 40-year-old Steve Nash and 36-year-old Kobe Bryant— will be a game-changer. Depending on the continuing improvement of a Jeremy Lin or the development of Jordan Clarkson, the Lakers will be competitive in the its upcoming campaign in the regular season.