The Lakers are without 21-time All-NBA superstar power forward LeBron James, 40, who has been grappling with a sciatica injury since the middle of the summer. It's unclear when the four-time league MVP might return to the hardwood, although it's possible he'll get reassessed and given a fresh timeline as soon as next week.

Mark Walter reportedly could be approved as the new owner of the Los Angeles Lakers within the next week. According to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, Walter will present his bid to the NBA Advisory Finance Committee on Friday, at which point the committee will make a recommendation to the NBA Board of Governors.

Businessman Mark Walter is scheduled to present his bid to acquire the Lakers to the NBA's Advisory Finance Committee as part of a process that could result in his approval by the end of the month to take over the team,

A rematch from last year’s postseason takes place on Friday night, as the Los Angeles Lakers and Luka Doncic host the Minnesota Timberwolves and Anthony Edwards

The Minnesota Timberwolves (1-0) and Los Angeles Lakers (0-1) meet in a playoff rematch from last season Friday. Tip-off from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, is set for 10 p.m. ET (Prime Video).

"He’s a really funny dude. He’s a great storyteller. But he was never a part of the staff," a team source said of Jones.

On Thursday, FC Bayern Munich announced that Dinwiddie had agreed on a deal that will have him signed until the end of the season, finalizing the German 15-man team. Dinwiddie was an electrifying player who averaged 13 points per game over his 11-year career, and even notched 20.6 points per game for Brooklyn in 2020.

Lakers are reportedly one of four NBA teams caught up in an illegal sports betting investigation, raising major league concerns.