The roster is ready, and the team has set the stage. Now it is ime for the Los Angeles Lakers to shine. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves will lead the way. But players like Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, and all the latest additions have to keep one major thing in mind.
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Lakers legend Byron Scott raised a legitimate concern for modern-day basketball. Injury and player availability. Gone are those days when stars barely sat out with injuries. On the Fast Break podcast, Scott’s co-host Olden Polynice pointed out an interesting observation: “Remember, we always say, ‘Are you hurt? Are you injured?'”
Then, Byron Scott said, “There’s a difference. If you’re just hurt, you can play. A lot of these guys get hurt. Yeah. You can play, but if you’re injured, that’s another story. But that was a big thing with that Purple and Gold back in the day because we always said, if you put that Purple and Gold on, there are no excuses, first of all.”
The 65-year-old doubled down on his warning, “There’s no excuses. So, you might be a little hurt, but if you put that on, we expect you to come out here and perform.”
Byron Scott also argued that the Lakers cannot rely on one newcomer to change their fortunes. He believes Walker Kessler can anchor the defense by covering mistakes and contribute offensively. However, Scott sees staying healthy as the 25-year-old’s biggest concern.
“The biggest question with him: Is he going to stay healthy?” Scott said. “So, again, that’s one of the guys that can definitely help them get to the next level, but I think it’s got to be by committee. Those guys all have to play their best year.”
Simply put, the 3-time NBA champ suggested that the Lakers need several newcomers to perform well. He emphasized collective improvement. “Each one of those guys got to get 1% better than they were last year,” Scott said. “And if all those guys can do that, that’s seven, eight % better as a team. Then they’ll have some success.”
Speaking of injuries and availability, both Kessler and Collin Sexton emerge as candidates who could sit on the bench.
Walker Kessler’s 2025–26 campaign ended after a problem in his left shoulder required surgery. The damage involved his labrum and reportedly traced back to his college days at Auburn. As a result, his time with the Utah Jazz was extremely brief. Kessler appeared in only 5 games, starting each one. His absence quickly became a major setback for the season.
The Jazz confirmed the operation in November 2025. Recovery kept Kessler sidelined for the rest of the 2025–26 season. However, his next chapter eventually took him away from Utah. Meanwhile, Collin Sexton has faced various health setbacks during his NBA career.
The biggest came on November 7, 2021, when he hurt his left knee against the New York Knicks. Tests revealed a meniscus tear. Surgery ended his season, forcing him to sit out 73 games between November 2021 and April 2022.
Since then, Sexton has dealt with several shorter absences. A right hamstring problem kept him out for 5–7 games between December 2022 and January 2023. In April 2021, a concussion cost him 3 games. More recently, a left lower leg contusion and ankle issue caused a brief absence in March 2026. He also experienced minor hamstring flare-ups during early 2026.
Simply put, Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, and the six new additions on the Lakers roster have to keep in mind that everyone will be watching them. Therefore, they must show up on the floor as Byron Scott and his peers did during their active tenure. And this time, LA won’t just fight for the title. Luka Doncic and Co. have a lot to prove to the doubters.