The Los Angeles Lakers' frontcourt has been playing shorthanded for the majority of the season, but forward Jordan Hill could potentially make a return to the team in late April, via Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News:

It remains a long shot, but Lakers forward Jordan Hill said doctors have told him there’s a slim possibility he could return in late April or early May after spending the past two months rehabbing from a surgically repaired left hip.

Hill initially suffered from a torn labrum in his hip on January 6 and had surgery on the injured hip later in the month. The Lakers expected Hill to miss the remainder of the season, which still holds true as Hill's return would make his return to the lineup during the playoffs should the Lakers hold onto their playoff seeding. Hill has not participated in any basketball activities, but has spent time rehabilitating on elliptical and bike machines at the Lakers' training facility, reports Medina:

Hill said he’s been off crutches for the past three weeks has performed exercises on bike and elliptical machines.

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Hill served as a hustle-player off of L.A.'s bench who was very active on the offensive glass. On the season, Hill has averaged 5.7 rebounds, pulling down 20.2 percent of the available offensive rebounds while he's on the floor. Kobe Bryant claimed that Hill is a "big part of the team" both in rebounding and defense, via Medina:

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant recently said. "We’re missing him. He’s a big part of our team. What he does on the glass and his ability to stretch the defense, he’s a really big part of what we do defensively as well."

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