Lakers injury updates: Dennis Schroder out; LeBron James and Alex Caruso in

Lakers point guard Dennis Schroder will not play Sunday against the Toronto Raptors because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols.

Neither Lakers coach Frank Vogel nor the team offered no further update. Players can enter the protocols because of their own positive test or because of exposure to a close contact if that player hasn’t been fully vaccinated.

The Lakers will have Alex Caruso and LeBron James available against the Raptors. Caruso (back spasms) missed the last two games while James (sprained ankle) returned on Friday after missing 20 games.

Schroder, 27, missed four games in February because of an exposure to a positive test, he said.

The Lakers lost all four games.

“I never had COVID. Tested negative the whole time. The situation is what it is. But the NBA I think got to do better …” he said after returning. “I think for sure they need to do better. I mean, I tested negative the whole time. You know, I never had positive. They got to figure that out, for sure.”

The news comes with the Lakers perilously close to seventh place in the West just as they were returning to full strength. The team still not has had all of their expected rotation players since they signed Andre Drummond.

Schroder is averaging 15.5 points and 5.8 assists per game this season.