Lonzo Ball is set to be re-evaluated by the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, but fans shouldn’t expect him back on the court any time soon.
During an appearance on ESPN’s “Mason and Ireland,” Ramona Shelburne gave an update on the 21-year-old point guard and it doesn’t sound like his return is imminent.
This really shouldn’t come as a surprise to Lakers fans.
When Ball was diagnosed with a Grade 3 ankle sprain, he was given a generous timetable of 4-6 weeks. Realistically, he was always going to miss anywhere between 8-10 weeks, given the recent history of this specific injury. This week will mark seven weeks.
Add that to the fact that the medical staff recently discovered a bone bruise in that same left ankle, and the chances of Ball returning to the court this season are slim.
If Ball doesn’t play another game for the Lakers this season, he will end the season playing less games than he did last season. Last season, he played 52 games; this season he could be held to just 47 games. Ball has missed the last 18 games for Los Angeles.
“Injury prone” isn’t a term that should be used loosely, especially for a guy with just two years of NBA experience under his belt, but there’s no denying that Ball has struggled to stay healthy in his young career.
Hopefully, with a summer to recover and get stronger, this won’t be an issue for Ball going forward.
