Divac Injures Back, Could Miss a Month

The Lakers, already thin at the center position, will lose Vlade Divac for up to a month after an MRI exam revealed a herniated disk in his back.

Divac, 36, was injured earlier this week during an informal on-court drill at HealthSouth Training Center. He will miss part, if not all, of training camp, which begins Oct. 5 in San Diego.

If Divac’s injury persists, the Lakers face the prospect of starting 6-foot-9 forward Brian Grant or career reserve Chris Mihm for the regular-season opener Nov. 2 against the Denver Nuggets.

“It’s hard to determine what effect it’s going to have,” Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. “... We’re going to try and treat it conservatively. We’re hoping that in two or three weeks he’ll be fine. If he’s not, we’ll look to the next step.”

Divac signed a two-year deal with the Lakers in July after spending the last six seasons with the Sacramento Kings. He averaged 9.9 points each of the last two seasons.

Grant, who is bothered by tendinitis in his knees, averaged 8.7 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Miami Heat last season. The Lakers would prefer to play him at power forward.

Mihm, 25, was acquired last month in a trade that sent Gary Payton to the Boston Celtics.

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Veteran forward Rick Fox, traded by the Lakers to Boston last month, has still not fully recovered from an assortment of injuries that could end his career.

Fox, 35, has had foot, back and neck injuries in the last year. The Celtics begin training camp in less than two weeks.

-- Mike Bresnahan