Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr. is undergoing surgery on his fractured left hand today, with an early expectation that he'll miss four-to-six weeks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Nance first hurt his hand during the third quarter of Thursday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, sitting out the remainder of the game after he was taken back for examination.
A quick MRI revealed a fracture in his left hand, forcing head coach Luke Walton to go back into the drawing board and re-choose a starting power forward after the Wyoming product won out against teammates Julius Randle and rookie Kyle Kuzma.
Based on the minute distribution, Walton is likely to go with Kuzma, who has gotten the majority of the minutes on the floor thanks to his ability to shoot the ball efficiently on the perimeter — switching between the three and four spots.
Walton noted his decision will be based on the fit with this first unit, which could give an opportunity for Kuzma to sync up with fellow rookie Lonzo Ball for their “light-skinned connection” — which the two have noted over the summer.
Randle's minutes will increase regardless due to the need at the position, but judging by Walton's style of play, the rookie should see plenty of opportunity in the frontcourt after netting a career-high 22 points during Thursday night's loss.
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