The Timberwolves handed the Lakers another loss, marking their second win against them in just 10 days. And once again, LeBron James wasn’t on the court. While being shorthanded explains part of the Lakers’ struggles, the bigger issue lies in their roster imbalance. They have plenty of guards and smaller players but no solid big man to support Anthony Davis. It’s like watching the Knicks all over again—strong guard play but no presence on the boards to control the paint. For a team like the Lakers, that gap only makes an already tough season feel even steeper.

And their troubles could’ve gotten worse.

LeBron James has missed the last two games due to soreness in his left foot, coming off what might be the toughest stretch of his career. During that span, he could only score under 20 points in five out of six games—a rare sight for the NBA legend. To add to the uncertainty, head coach JJ Redick revealed LeBron stepped away from the team on Wednesday for “personal reasons,” leaving fans speculating about his situation.

The 39-year-old’s status for Sunday’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies at Crypto.com Arena was up in the air until now, as the initial questionable tag has been upgraded to AVAILABLE! Notably, Anthony Davis’ status also gets the same upgrade, as per Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation.

The Grizzlies have climbed to second place in the Western Conference with an impressive 18-8 record. On the flip side, the Lakers are hanging on at 10th with a 13-12 record. Back on November 6, Memphis dominated Los Angeles with a decisive 131-114 victory. Sure, the Lakers turned things around a week later with a 128-123 win, but let’s be real—Ja Morant and Desmond Bane weren’t even in the lineup for that game.

Let us take a look at the long injury report of the Lakers and what their depth chart could look like.

Can the Lakers get the much-needed win with/without LeBron James?

According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, Jalen Hood-Schifino will remain “Out” for Sunday’s game against the Grizzlies due to a hamstring injury. The rookie, who has only made two appearances this season, is now set to miss his sixth consecutive game.

Davis also appeared on the injury report, initially listed as probable because of ongoing left plantar fasciitis. While this issue has been a constant headache for both Davis and Lakers fans, the team doesn’t expect him to miss any games further! His status saw a recent upgrade to available. So, he should continue to suit up and lead the charge on the court.

The Lakers’ injury troubles don’t end there, though. Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaxson Hayes, and Christian Wood are all still out of action. Hayes hasn’t seen a minute of play in December, and fans are still waiting for Vanderbilt and Wood to make their season debuts. The Lakers’ bench, it seems, has turned into a revolving door for injuries, leaving the team shorthanded at a crucial time.

The Lakers are in a tough spot, especially going up against a powerhouse like the Grizzlies, one of the West’s top teams. To make matters worse, they’re dealing with injuries that keep piling on. But if LeBron James can hit the court, he might just be the game-changer they desperately need to turn things around.