The Los Angeles Lakers announced that forward/center Jordan Hill will leave the team and return to Los Angeles on Tuesday morning after suffering a strained rectus femorus (quadricip) in his right leg. Hill will be examined by doctors on his arrival.
According to Lakers coach Byron Scott after Sunday's game, Hill was unsure of exactly how he strained his quad, but the player left Sunday's game and did not return. After waiting 24 hours, the team announced that Hill had shown little to no improvement, and a decision had been made to send Hill back to Los Angeles for further tests.
The Lakers leave New York City for Milwaukee on Tuesday morning, where they will face the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday evening.
After Hill left Sunday's game in the first half, rookie Tarik Black earned valuable playing time. Black had been unable to crack the Lakers' rotation since suffering an ankle sprain, but Hill's injury allowed the 23-year-old to start the second half of Sunday's loss to the New York Knicks.
If Scott inserts Black into the starting lineup, the Lakers expect to start Jordan Clarkson, Wayne Ellington, Ryan Kelly, Robert Sacre and Black. The average age of the Lakers' starters would be 24, and Ellington would be the senior starter at 27 years. The Lakers would be starting two rookies, one second-year and one third-year. Ellington is in his sixth season as a professional.
The Lakers' four youngest healthy players banded together on Monday morning and braved a snow storm in New York City to pay respects to the 9/11 memorial.
Kelly, Clarkson, Black & Sacre used part of the off-day in NY to pay their respects at the @Sept11Memorial pic.twitter.com/w0yxWW3Mv9 — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 2, 2015
The four youngsters also spent Sunday on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and appeared on After the Bell, which is a finance based show for Fox Business. If Hill is out for a prolonged period of time, the four youngest Lakers may be spending more time together on a different type of floor.
And then the @Lakers jumped on @FBNATB and said hi to California girl @LizClaman pic.twitter.com/JcM3qQpPI4 — Nicole Petallides (@NPetallides) February 2, 2015
For now, one would imagine Hill will miss the remainder of the Lakers' road trip, which still features stops in Milwaukee, Orlando and Cleveland.
