The Los Angeles Lakers will hold out Anthony Davis for the team's preseason finale against the Sacramento Kings on Friday as the eight-time All-Star continues to deal with lower back tightness.

According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, Davis did not make the trip to Sacramento for “precautionary reasons.”

The Lakers are being extra-careful with their fragile star — his status for the season opener is not in jeopardy — but the news is concerning nonetheless. Davis has already missed two preseason games, and Darvin Ham said earlier this week that he wanted to use the final two exhibitions as dress rehearsals for the Lakers' rotation guys. In Wednesday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Davis, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Patrick Beverley each played over 25 minutes.

On the positive side, Davis hasn't seemed to be hampered when he's suited up. AD has averaged 19.3 points, and 9.0 rebounds in 21.4 minutes in his three warm-up appearances and, most encouragingly, has shot the ball well from the perimeter.

Davis has played just 76 games over the past two years due to a litany of injuries. At Media Day, he said his goal this season was to miss zero games for injury reasons. Ham has repeatedly stated his intention to load-manage Davis throughout the early part of the campaign, though he also indicated that Davis could start at center, which typically carries a heavier physical burden.

The Lakers will also be without Dennis Schroder in Sacramento. Schroder suffered a finger injury on Wednesday and may miss some games to start the season.

The Lakers open their 2022-23 slate at the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday.