The Los Angeles Lakers are on a mission to avenge last year's postseason collapse, but the news of Jordan Hill facing an assault charge comes at a terrible time. 

This is very unfortunate for Hill and extremely untimely for the Lakers. 

An off-the-court issue distracting the team is the last thing the Lakers need at the moment, simply because their focus needs to be on winning another championship.

Anything unrelated to basketball that affects the minds of those playing is crushing blow for Los Angeles.

According to ESPN Los Angeles, Hill faces a third-degree felony charge for "allegedly shoving and choking 28-year-old Darlene Luna." 

She claims the two had been dating for about two years, and Hill states he is "saddened to learn of the accusations that were filed against me."

He also issued an apology to the Lakers:

I'd like to apologize to the Lakers organization and to all of their fans for the untimeliness of these accusations. I promise to keep my focus and attention on the playoffs during this time and to helping my team win another championship. 

Hill is a solid player for the Lakers who came over to the team in the Derrick Fisher trade with the Houston Rockets.  

In Game 1 of the first round of the 2012 NBA playoffs against the Denver Nuggets, Hill played a total of 24 minutes, scoring 10 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. 

Hopefully this won't have a drastic impact on the Lakers and their quest for another title, but few people really know what is going on in the Los Angeles locker room.