Lakers Lose Eddie Jones for at Least Six Weeks

Laker guard Eddie Jones will have surgery on his left thumb Thursday and is expected to be out of action at least six weeks.

Jones, a first team all-rookie pick last season, tore a ligament in the thumb Monday night in practice in the Lakers’ camp at the University of Hawaii. He flew home and was examined by team physician Stephen Lombardo Tuesday.

“At least three of the weeks, we don’t have games,” Coach Del Harris said from Honolulu. “That doesn’t help him. He needed to get his confidence back after missing those games last season. We feel we have some other good players at that position, with AP [Anthony Peeler] and Sedale [Threatt]. We’ll end up getting that spot covered pretty well.

“Eddie was just reaching in on defense and got his thumb caught in a jersey. There’s no way to prevent an injury like that. It’s just one of those things.”

The operation will be performed by hand specialist Norman Zemel of the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic.

Jones sat out 18 games late last season because of a dislocated right shoulder and struggled in the playoffs. During the season, he averaged 14 points and led all rookies in steals with 2.1 a game.

With George Lynch out, the Lakers are down to 13 uninjured players. Lynch, recovering from surgery for a broken bone in his right foot, is expected to start working out next week.

The Lakers will play exhibitions against the Seattle SuperSonics on Friday and Saturday.