The Los Angeles Lakers could welcome another piece of their rotation Friday as they face a Clippers team dealing with several absences.

Collin Sexton is available after missing the preseason and regular-season opener with a right soleus strain. His return gives the Lakers another scoring guard as they look to build on Wednesday’s 127-105 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

The Clippers also enter the matchup with a 1-0 record after beating the Sacramento Kings 121-96. However, five players have been ruled out for the first meeting between the teams this season.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PDT at Crypto.com Arena.

Sexton’s availability is the most encouraging development for the Lakers. His absence from the injury report puts him in position to make his regular-season debut with the team.

Jake LaRavia was downgraded to out with a right ankle sprain after getting hurt late in the win over Golden State. Cameron Carr remains out with a right oblique strain, while Adou Thiero is sidelined with left knee swelling. Walker Kessler is available despite a left finger splint designation.

For coach JJ Redick, adding Sexton creates another option to initiate offense and attack the basket when Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves rests.

The Lakers can begin evaluating how Sexton fits alongside their other reserves, including which combinations provide enough shooting and defensive support around him.

His return does not completely resolve the team’s availability concerns, though. LaRavia’s potential absence would leave Redick without another forward while Carr and Thiero remain sidelined.

That could increase the importance of Quentin Grimes, Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle. Each offers a different combination of shooting, size and perimeter defense, giving Redick several ways to adjust.

The Clippers will be without Bradley Beal, Brandon Ingram, Jordan Miller, Yanic Konan Niederhauser and Max Strus.

Beal is out for right knee injury management. Ingram is recovering from right heel surgery, Miller from left rotator cuff surgery and Niederhauser from right Lisfranc surgery. Strus is sidelined with a right plantar fascia tear.

Those absences limit coach Tyronn Lue’s options across several positions, particularly when it comes to distributing offensive responsibility.

Darius Garland supplied 30 points in the opener against Sacramento. Brook Lopez added 17 points and 11 rebounds, while rookie Keaton Wagler contributed 15 points, five rebounds and five assists.

The Clippers will need similar balance against a Lakers team that received 77 combined points from Dončić, Reaves and Kessler against Golden State.

For the Lakers, Sexton’s availability provides an opportunity to expand the rotation. For the Clippers, the focus remains on getting enough production from the group already available.

LaRavia’s designation is the main unresolved question for the Lakers ahead of tipoff.