Aerial Powers returns to Lynx, but top draft pick Rennia Davis faces season-ending surgery

First the good news: Lynx guard Aerial Powers, who has missed five games because of a left hamstring injury, is good to go and will be probable when the Lynx host Los Angeles on Saturday night at Target Center.

Now the bad: The stress fracture in rookie Rennia Davis' left foot has gotten worse, she will have surgery and will be lost for the season without having played in a game.

There's more news, which will require the Lynx to jump through some procedural hoops before Saturday's game. Powers being available means the injury-related roster exception that allowed the team to sign Layshia Clarendon has expired, requiring the Lynx to terminate their contract Friday afternoon.

But Clarendon should be back, quickly. The team has applied for another hardship exception because forward Jessica Shepard is dealing with an adductor muscle injury. Assuming the league grants the exception, the Lynx would be expected to re-sign Clarendon in time for the Sparks game.

If all goes according to plan that means Clarendon — who has been a steadying, veteran addition to the team — should make their fourth straight start against the Sparks. Clarendon has scored in double figures in three of four games with the Lynx, averaging 11.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists.

But this is difficult news for Davis, who was shut down in training camp after experiencing pain in her foot. The ninth overall pick in the WNBA draft out of Tennessee, Davis apparently first injured the foot playing for the Vols in the SEC tournament. She played through what she thought was just a sore foot. But the pain resurfaced during camp.

• In more good news, forward Damiris Dantas, who has been slowed by back spams, appears to be fully recovered and poised to rejoin the team's starting lineup.