The Los Angeles Lakers took a big blow even before the start of the season after shooting guard Nick Young suffered an injury in his right thumb, Lakers head coach Byron Scott disclosed on Friday,

Young, who is expected to be the team’s primarily scorer off the bench this coming season, will reportedly sit six to eight weeks after sustaining a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament. The 29-year old guard already underwent surgery and will likely miss the start of the season.

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 "I didn't see it," Scott told reporters before Young undergoes MRI examination. "He said he tried to swipe at the ball when he was guarding Kobe and his thumb got caught and it swelled up on him."

Young has been in a heated but healthy competition with returning star Kobe Bryant in training camp, as they were often seen exchanging thrash talk during 5-on-5 scrimmages.

After averaging career-high 17.9 points last season, Young is expected to further elevate his game and become a big time contributor for the Lakers this coming season.

According to the former USC standout, the presence of ultra-competitive Bryant in training camp really helped him step up his game, as he prepares for another tough grind.

"It's a great feeling to have someone like Kobe pushing (me) every day." Bryant has definitely been going at @NickSwagyPYoung," Young told ESPN Los Angeles Mike Trudell in an interview.

Scott also felt Young could be a solid bench player for the Lakers, believing he has a real chance of becoming a legit contender for the Sixth Man of the Year honors at the end of their 82 regular-season campaign.

"As he's said repeatedly in the last few months, Scott likes Nick Young in the Sixth Man role. Thinks he can be a candidate for that award," Trudell posted on his Twitter account on Friday.

Tags Lakers rumors, NBA rumors, NBA news, Lakers nation, Nick Young