Los Angeles Lakers guard Nick Young will miss six to eight weeks after suffering a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament in his right thumb during practice, ESPN reports. The injury could force Young to miss the start of the regular season.
The injury occurred while Young was guarding Kobe Bryant during practice Thursday. An MRI exam performed the next day revealed the tear.
"I didn't see it," Lakers coach Byron Scott told reporters Friday before Young's MRI. "He said he tried to swipe at the ball when he was guarding Kobe and his thumb got caught and it swelled up on him."
Young will have surgery Monday to repair the torn ligament and a more specific timeline for his return will be given at that time. Last season, Young averaged a career-high 17.9 points and 1.5 assists in one of the worst seasons in Lakers history.
L.A. re-signed Young to a four-year deal worth $21.5 million during the offseason in order to keep his strong scoring skills in the lineup. The Lakers also went out and signed forwards Carlos Boozer and Ed Davis along with trading for point guard Jeremy Lin.
The franchise is trying to make it back to the playoffs in the crowded Western Conference as Bryant, 36, plays out the rest of his career. The loss of Pau Gasol in free agency and the abundance of talented teams in the West may stand in the way of that goal for a Lakers team that went just 27-55 last year.
