Nick

Smith

According to McMenamin, Dončić had his inner thigh/groin area treated in the second half of Monday’s loss to the Kings, and his status for the second leg of the Lakers’ back-to-back set is uncertain. The Lakers have not yet submitted an injury report for Tuesday’s tilt with the Hawks, but LeBron James has not played both legs of a back-to-back this season, so his status is also in question. Los Angeles could be sorely undermanned, which would lead to the team picking up the slack in a committee approach, with guys like Dalton Knecht, Nick Smith Jr. and Gabe Vincent seeing increased run. The team will need to lean heavily on its available starters, which could mean monster usage for Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia.

Tuesday’s game is the ninth that Vincent will miss as he continues to work his way back from a lumbar back strain. With Austin Rivers also out, the Lakers have turned to Nick Smith Jr. to play rotation minutes off the bench. During his pregame availability, Lakers head coach JJ Redick said that he expects Vincent to be available for Wednesday’s game against the Spurs.

Vincent was listed as questionable on Monday, but he’s now expected to miss a ninth straight contest. In his absence, Nick Smith Jr. could continue to see additional playing time off the Lakers’ bench.

Vincent has missed the last eight games for the Lakers but could return against New Orleans. His absence has allowed Nick Smith Jr. to play more, though when Vincent returns, Smith will likely lose out on minutes.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick said before Sunday’s game that Smith’s role would expand as the team moved forward without Austin Reaves, who is sidelined with a calf injury. The two-way contract guard playing 24 minutes was unsurprising, but the output certainly was. Smith notched his second 20-point game as a Laker, finishing four points shy of his season-high. Fantasy managers shouldn’t hop onto the Smith bandwagon yet, but they should watch him in Tuesday’s game against the Pistons.

Initially questionable after a one-game absence, Dončić is on track to return Thursday night. If so, he would push Nick Smith Jr. to the bench, and potentially out of the rotation entirely.

Dončić will return following a one-game absence, and his return should mean reduced roles for Dalton Knecht, Nick Smith and Jake LaRavia. Not counting 2024 when he left early due to injury, Dončić has averaged 36.3 points, 10.3 assists and 6.3 rebounds across three career Christmas games.

Luka Dončić’s absence due to a leg contusion meant the Lakers needed more production from their remaining guards. While Smart and Nick Smith Jr. (12 points, one rebound, one assist and one three-pointer) both reached double figures, neither came through with the stat line that would spark intrigue among fantasy managers. It’s safe to leave Smart and Smith on the waiver wire in most redraft leagues.

The Lakers are without Luka Dončić, opening up a spot in the starting lineup. Smith and LaRavia have moved into the starting lineup, with the latter offering a higher fantasy ceiling. At best, Smith is worth a roll of the dice in deep leagues, as Austin Reaves is available. However, he’s coming off the bench and will be under a minutes restriction.

Smith signed a two-way deal with the Lakers in September after being waived by the Hornets two years after they drafted him in the first round. This was only his third appearance this season, but with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves out on the second night of a back-to-back, Smith was able to take on a larger role, and he took advantage. He came up big late, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers win their fourth straight game. He may not play a consistent role when everyone is healthy, but he is worth stashing in dynasty formats.