Unfortunately for the purple and gold, those plans may be placed on a temporary hold due to a key injury.
According to Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register, reserve center Jordan Hill has suffered what could be a severe injury. Franchise center Dwight Howard can attest to this, as he received surgery for what appears to have been the same injury (via ESPN.com).
Bad news for Lakers bench. Jordan Hill has herniated disk in his back. Will be re-evaluated in a week.
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) October 9, 2012
If Jordan Hill is to miss a significant amount of time, which an injury of this severity suggests he might, the Lakers must begin to prepare a contingency plan. Earl Clark is athletic but underwhelming as an interior defender, while rookie Robert Sacre is as unproven as they come.
For that reason, it is time to start thinking about acquiring a veteran in free agency. Can anyone say "Kenyon Martin"?
Once one of the Los Angeles Lakers' greatest rivals, Martin now appears to be the cure-all to their current predicament. The 2000 NBA Draft's first overall selection is a postseason veteran and spent the previous season as a member of another Los Angeles franchise, the Clippers.
His familiarity with the city would certainly offer impetus for his signing. Discovering his first taste of legitimate postseason success may just be the icing on the cake.
Unfortunately, there is a major hurdle to overcome.
According to Alan Hahn, the New York Knicks' studio analyst, Martin refuses to take the veteran's minimum. This is of extreme importance to the Lakers, as they are fi...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
