The Lakers have already lost a member of their 2021–22 rotation with opening night less than two weeks away.
Lakers forward Trevor Ariza will be out at least two months after undergoing ankle surgery, Los Angeles announced Wednesday.
Ariza, 36, underwent "an arthroscopic debridement procedure performed on his right ankle," per a team statement. He will be reevaluated by team doctors in eight weeks.
The 2021–22 season marks a return to Los Angeles for Ariza. The UCLA product played for the Lakers in '07–08 and '08–09, reaching the Finals twice while winning one championship alongside Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. Ariza is a 17-year NBA veteran, logging stints with 10 different franchises.
Ariza averaged 9.4 points and 4.8 rebounds per game for the Heat last season. He was expected to be a member of Los Angeles's wing rotation this season, a unit that includes LeBron James, Talen Horton-Tucker, Carmelo Anthony, Wayne Ellington and Kent Bazemore.
The Lakers won the 2020 championship in the NBA bubble, but they were eliminated by the Suns in the first round of the '21 playoffs. The '21–22 season marks year No. 19 for James as he looks to secure his fifth championship.
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