– Lonzo Ball
After having a minor knee operation done in the summer, it was great to see Lonzo Ball back on the court for the final two preseason games for the Lakers. Since Ball is a young player and a key part of the team moving forward, the Lakers have wisely been careful with him coming back.
Despite missing the end of the regular season last year, Ball looked pretty sharp in the preseason. In his first game back, Ball totaled seven points, four rebounds, four steals, and two assists. In the second game, Ball played about the same minutes and totaled eight points, seven assists, and six rebounds.
While it appears like Ball will be coming off the bench to start the season, that doesn’t mean that he won’t play a huge role for this team. With the added muscle put on this offseason, Ball looked really strong in the preseason. He believes that the added muscle will also help him with his shot, which did look pretty good in the preseason, minus the first shot he took against the Warriors.
Against the Trail Blazers, it will be interesting to see how much Ball does indeed play coming off surgery and whether or not he starts or comes off the bench. Regardless, Ball will be an important player for the Lakers.