Lakers News: Rounding Up Latest Buzz Surrounding Point Guard Position

The Los Angeles Lakers are attempting to rebound from the worst season in franchise history, and as we saw last season, the team's health will play a crucial role in that endeavor once again.

Things didn't exactly begin in flawless fashion for the team in 2014, as Nick Young suffered a thumb injury that required surgery. Here's a look at the cast he's currently wearing on his shooting hand, courtesy of the LakersScene Instagram account:

While that injury is a bit unsettling for Lakers faithful, there's more recent injury news that could potentially shake up the team's starting lineup.

Veteran Steve Nash was once expected to start at the point guard position for the Lakers this season after an injury-plagued 2013-14 campaign in which he only saw action in 15 games (10 starts). Well, according to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com, the guard is still dealing with the same ailment:

Those injuries began to affect Nash's status in the preseason. Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com reported the guard asked to be held out of Sunday's contest against the Golden State Warriors.

With Nash already missing time on the floor, we're already seeing shades of last season, and that's not exactly comforting.

Luckily, the Lakers made a very smart decision to bring in Jeremy Lin over the offseason.

Since Lin arrived in Los Angeles, he's taken on the role of Kobe Bryant's understudy and has been attempting to soak in as much knowledge as possible from the all-time great. During an interview with Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding, Lin spoke of what he's learned:

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He cares about all the little things. It's like the stuff that he talks to me about, I didn't ever think about it. Little stuff. I'm, like, 'Oh, OK. That's one way to look at it.' He's challenging me to expand my perspective. I think that's really important, and that's something that I love doing. It's a blessing that he's here in the same locker room.

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It's apparent that Lin is improving under Bryant's tutelage. Through two preseason games, he's scored 15 points, accumulated 14 assists, seven boards and just two turnovers. He's handling the ball better than he ever has, and he's shown the ability to facilitate effectively.

Perhaps those performances is all head coach Byron Scott needed to see, as Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times reported a potential switch on the depth chart:

That may be a brilliant decision. While Nash (when healthy) is a great option due to his lengthy experience, ability to see the floor and skill at creating shots for his teammates, a role on the bench could be very beneficial in regards to maintaining his health throughout the season.

Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News spoke with the guard and tweeted what he had to say about a possible change in his role:

It certainly appears as though the writing is on the wall. Nash's health continues to deteriorate, Lin has shown reasonable improvement over the offseason, and Scott is considering a switch at the position.

Bryant could wind up benefiting greatly from mentoring Lin, as it looks like he may be starting in the backcourt with his pupil this season.