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Ziaire Williams emerges as fan-favorite for Lakers’ fifth starter

Ziaire Williams missed the Los Angeles Lakers’ past three preseason games due to a left foot injury. He returned for his first preseason appearance in the Lakers’ preseason finale against the Denver Nuggets, scoring 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field.

In limited minutes, he also demonstrated his three-point shooting ability, converting all five of his attempts from beyond the arc.

Lakers’ preseason finale

The Lakers entered the final preseason matchup after a 12-point loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. That defeat featured notable absences: Luka Doncic, Ziaire Williams, and Collin Sexton did not play.

Doncic sat out due to rest, while Williams was sidelined by the foot injury. The Warriors loss left the Lakers without a clear opening-night starting five, prompting head coach JJ Redick to experiment with lineups in the finale.

Redick’s experiment paired Williams with Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, and Matisse Thybulle. The combination marked only the second half-court that the Lakers’ ‘big three’ of Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler have shared in five preseason games, as they have logged just one half together across the preseason schedule.

The coach’s willingness to give Williams a look in the final game underscores the forward’s growing role despite his recent injury layoff.

Looking ahead, the Lakers are set to host the Denver Nuggets in the preseason finale on Friday, a game that will provide the final opportunity for Redick to assess his starting lineup before the regular season opens. The outcome of that matchup and the health status of Williams will likely influence the final roster decisions for the opening night against the Warriors, where it does not appear Quentin Grimes will start.

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