Lakers, Pelicans Announce Full Starting Lineups Ahead of Game

Nov 10, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Los Angeles Lakers Head Coach JJ Redick watches from the sideline during the first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images | Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are squaring off against the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday as they near the end of their road trip.

The Lakers are coming off a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, one that did not even feature a fully healthy OKC squad.

For their game against the Pelicans, LeBron James and Gabe Vincent are out, both of whom have been out for a while.

James is battling sciatica in his right side, keeping him out for the start of the season. He is starting to work out on court, but his return is still a ways out.

Vincent has been out with a left ankle sprain.

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Meanwhile, rookie Adou Thiero is available to make his NBA debut. He has been recovering from a left knee surgery procedure that dates back to his college days.

Thiero has not been able to take part in training camp and preseason due to injuries limiting his on-court basketball work.

Head coach JJ Redick has previously noted that the Lakers will be careful with Thiero.

“We’ve just got to manage him coming from knee surgery and to be quite frank with you, he was not our player when he had the surgery,” Redick told Khobi Price of The Orange County Register.

“So we did not have control over what he did for the three months after the surgery. So it’s really about playing the long game with him.

"We look at this year as a developmental year and there’s no reason for us to push his body and create a long-term problem. His knee is in a really good spot, we just want to be really careful.”

Thiero will likely get a handful of minutes off the bench on Friday, backing up Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart.

The Lakers will be starting Marcus Smart, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Austin Reaves, and Luka Doncic. The Pelicans will field Trey Murphy, Saddiq Bey, Kevon Looney, Herbert Jones, and Jeremiah Fears.

Starters for Lakers-Pelicans: pic.twitter.com/39QQnzs1qn

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) November 15, 2025

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Despite missing James and Vincent, the Lakers are expected to pick up a win on the road and potentially make it two in a row on Saturday against the Milwaukee Bucks.

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.