Lakers Rumors: Mo Bamba Could Return from Ankle Injury in Game 4 or 5 vs. Nuggets

While the Los Angeles Lakers sit in a 2-0 hole in the Western Conference Finals, they may soon be adding another weapon to their arsenal.

Center Mo Bamba, who was acquired by the Lakers in February, is expected to return by Game Four or Five, according to ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

Bamba has not played since the Lakers first-round series against the Memphis Grizzlies, going down with a left ankle injury. He only suited up for the team nine times since being acquired in the trade.

Bamba, the 6th-overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, averaged 3.7 points for the Lakers in the limited showcase, but put up solid numbers in Orlando. He averaged 7.3 rebounds, 4.6 rebounds and 17 minutes in 40 games for the Magic.

The presence of Anthony Davis renders Bamba to an obvious bench role, but the 7'0" center can give the seventh-seeded Lakers a new look against the top-seeded Denver Nuggets.

One area where Bamba could help is in the rebounding game. Nuggets center Nikola Jokić has thoroughly dominated on the boards, picking up 38 total rebounds across the first two games. While Bamba's rebounding numbers are modest, he does provide a change and adjustment that could throw Jokić off.

The Lakers lost Games 1 and 2 by a combined 11 points, and the result of the third matchup will have huge implications on the direction of the series.