Lakers Injury Update: Kendrick Nunn ‘Probably Not’ Ready To Play By End Of 2021
Kendrick Nunn, Lakers
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers have been destroyed by injuries for much of this season and one of the biggest and most unfortunate came in the form Kendrick Nunn.

The Lakers signed Nunn to a two-year contract this offseason and he was expected to play a big role for the team off the bench this season.

Unfortunately, Nunn suffered a bone bruise to his right knee and has yet to make his regular-season debut for the purple and gold. With Trevor Ariza seemingly making progress on a return to the court soon, it made sense that many would begin wondering about a return for Nunn as well, but it seems like that is still not on the horizon.

“Probably not, but there’s no firm timeline on that,” Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said after a recent practice when asked if Nunn would be able to return before the end of the calendar year. “We’ll see. I would say probably not.”

This is an unfortunate update on a player who could really make a difference for the Lakers, particularly on the defensive end. Nunn is a player who has shown the ability to defend at a high level while also being a capable scorer and solid 3-point shooter, the exact type of player the Lakers could use.

When it was originally announced that Nunn had suffered the bone bruise, the Lakers said he would be re-evaluated in a couple of weeks and overall it seemed like the injury wasn’t too serious. But now six weeks later, he is still pretty far away from returning to the court and it is cause for concern.

The Lakers have always tended to lean on the more cautious side with injuries, but it seems safe to say that the injury to Nunn was more serious than initially believed. Hopefully he will be able to make his return not long after the new year begins and help the Lakers turn this season around.

Vogel says Nunn &Ariza will have opportunity upon return to Lakers

While it is still unclear exactly when Nunn, or Ariza for that matter, will return to the court for the Lakers, one thing that was made clear by Vogel is that each will have the chance to make an impact for this team.

“They’re gonna have to opportunity and obviously you can’t make any true evaluations until you see what they look like with our group,” the Lakers head coach said. “But we signed them to be contributors and when they get healthy they’re gonna get the opportunity to.”

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

You May Also Like

2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers Review: Rob Pelinka

Obviously in the end, the success of the Los Angeles Lakers comes down to the players on the court executing the game plan…

Julius Randle On Luke Walton: ‘We Want To Make Him Look Good’

The day before the Los Angeles Lakers were set to take on the Houston Rockets in their season opener, there was a completely different vibe in their facility…

Recap: Lakers Drop Las Vegas Summer League Opener To Rockets

After going winless in the California Classic, the Los Angeles Lakers opened up Las Vegas Summer League play on Friday evening…

Lakers Game Results: Team Trumps Grizzlies At Staples

After the importance of a rounded team effort was apparent in the…