The Los Angeles Lakers look to have a deeper roster this season than they ended last season with. That is especially true at the forward spots, where Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht and possibly Maxi Kleber will be vying for minutes and a starting spot alongside LeBron James.
But if the Lakers are to seriously compete for the NBA championship, they will need at least one forward or wing who will give them speed, athleticism and defense to go along with some reliable production on the offensive end.
It is hoped that rookie Adou Thiero will eventually become that type of player. But he has been unable to play for the last several months due to a knee ailment, and it looks like he isn’t very close to being cleared to play.
The good news is that, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the swelling in Thiero’s injured knee has decreased. He will reportedly be reevaluated in two or three weeks.
Lakers rookie Adou Thiero update from the team: Thiero has experienced improvement in his knee swelling which has allowed him to progress in his on-court activities. He will be reevaluated in approximately 2-3 weeks.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 14, 2025
Thiero is 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds and possesses ample speed and athleticism that recently impressed Lakers head coach JJ Redick. He averaged 15.1 points on 54.5% shooting from the field and 5.8 rebounds a game last season while at the University of Arkansas, and while he’s a poor outside shooter, he did show the ability to get to the free throw line.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Rookie Adou Thiero has made progress in recovery from knee ailment
