Lakers News: Rui Hachimura Available vs. Rockets After Clearing Concussion Protocol

The Los Angeles Lakers will have some reinforcements in their frontcourt for Wednesday's game against the Houston Rockets.

As ESPN's Dave McMenamin noted, Rui Hachimura cleared concussion protocol and will be available for the Western Conference showdown. He was seen at shootaround with Anthony Davis, which was also notable since the eight-time All-Star was in and out of the lineup during Monday's loss to the Miami Heat because of a hip injury:

Any positive injury development is a welcome one for the Lakers considering how shorthanded they were against Miami.

Jaxon Hayes (ankle), Jarred Vanderbilt (heel) and Gabe Vincent (knee) were also out with ailments, while D'Angelo Russell was ejected. Combine that with Davis' issues, and LeBron James, Taurean Prince and Austin Reaves were the only ones to play more than 30 minutes in the loss.

That didn't stop the Purple and Gold from nearly completing a comeback thanks in large part to James' brilliance (30 points, four rebounds, three assists and three blocks on 13-of-23 shooting). But the bottom line is they are 3-4 and in need of more reliable depth.

Hachimura missed the last four games after suffering the injury during an Oct. 29 loss to the Sacramento Kings. He was off to an excellent start in that Sacramento game with 11 points and six rebounds in 17 minutes prior to the setback.

The 25-year-old played 33 games for the Lakers last season and averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 48.5 percent from the field. He was even better in 16 playoff games and posted 12.2 points a night.

He is an important depth piece for a team with championship aspirations, so getting him back on the court should help Los Angeles find more of a rhythm after an inconsistent start to the season.

Next up for the Lakers after Wednesday's contest is a highly anticipated showdown with the Phoenix Suns on Friday.