Lakers Rule Out Key Starter for Sunday's Game Against Raptors

The Los Angeles Lakers will be shorthanded once again on Sunday night against a tough Toronto squad.

Oct 23, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick reacts to a play during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After the ugly loss to the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Lakers will try to bounce back on Sunday night when they host Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors at Crypto.com Arena.

Unfortunately, the team will be shorthanded once again, with one of their starters set to miss this home game in Los Angeles.

Ziaire Williams Officially Ruled Out vs. Raptors

The Lakers announced on Sunday afternoon that veteran forward Ziaire Williams would miss a third straight game while continuing to deal with foot soreness.

Ziaire Williams (left foot injury management) has been downgraded to OUT for tonight’s game against Toronto.

— Ryan Ward (@RyanWardLA) November 1, 2026

Williams has been a solid addition to this new-look Lakers squad, making an impact on both ends of the floor and earning a starting role alongside Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Matisse Thybulle and Walker Kessler.

With Williams still on the mend, the Lakers will likely continue to turn to Jake LaRavia to shoulder the load in the starting lineup. LaRavia has also played well on both ends of the basketball floor this season and has seemed to earn Redick’s trust after a poor finish to last season.

Cameron Carr Cleared to Make Lakers Debut

Although the absence of Williams is a significant blow for the Lakers, Los Angeles may see the NBA debut of rookie Cameron Carr.

The Baylor product has yet to play a game this season due to an oblique strain, but is officially off the injury report for the first time during the 2026-27 campaign, meaning he could get the nod from Redick to play some minutes against the Raptors, especially with Williams not available.

During the NBA Summer League and preseason, Carr showed flashes of his potential, as he could turn into a young player that cracks Redick's rotation right away.

It'll be interesting to see what Redick's plans are for Carr now that the rookie is healthy enough to make his Lakers debut. Williams' absence may open the door for the versatile wing, as it might be the ideal situation for Redick and his coaching staff to see what the 21-year-old can do during games that actually count while facing a formidable opponent.

Unfortunately for Adou Thiero, the wait continues has he has yet to be cleared while dealing with knee swelling.

Even though Thiero is a talented player that can make an impact on both ends, he's really struggled to stay health early in his career, which is concerning.

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