Lakers rookie Adou Thiero clears knee to start Friday
The 22-year-old forward missed the first nine regular season games with left knee swelling before being removed from the injury report for the matchup against Portland.
By Nadia Rahman ·
Adou Thiero has returned to the Los Angeles Lakers lineup. The team removed him from the injury report on Thursday evening. He will make his regular season debut Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers in an NBA Cup game.
Thiero, a 6-foot-7 forward and second-round pick in the 2025 NBA draft, missed the first nine games of the current season. He dealt with swelling in his left knee, the same joint where he underwent surgery before joining the team last year. His absence kept him out of action while the Lakers began their regular schedule.
During the 2025-26 season, the 22-year-old played in 25 regular season games. He averaged 1.9 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 6.0 minutes per game. Those numbers earned him a spot in the playoff rotation. He played against the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the postseason.
Thiero spent the offseason improving his physical skills. Coach JJ Redick noted growth in Thiero's ability to crash the boards and cut to the paint. Redick said on October 5 that he saw substantial development over the previous six to seven weeks. The coach stated that Thiero is capable of being a major defensive asset for the team.
Thiero posted strong numbers in summer league action. He averaged 14.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.0 steals per game across seven contests in June and July. In the preseason, he averaged 18.4 minutes per game over three games before his knee issue flared up.
Teammate Jake LaRavia described Thiero as a strong and athletic player who can attack the basket at any moment. LaRavia said Thiero plays with pace rather than a single speed. He noted that Thiero raises the defensive ceiling for the group when he is healthy. LaRavia acknowledged that Thiero may need a few games to find his rhythm.
Thiero will join a defensive wing group that includes Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle. They will operate with center Walker Kessler protecting the paint. Redick expects Thiero to maintain the high level of effort and energy he showed during training camp. The coach believes that baseline is necessary for Thiero to function at a high level in the NBA.
The Lakers also sent guard Bronny James and rookie Cameron Carr to the Coachella Valley Lakers in Palm Desert. They will play in the G League opener against Salt Lake City on Friday. Redick said the young guards need playing time to develop. For James, this marks his third consecutive season in the G League.
