Kendrick Nunn is edging closer to making his Los Angeles Lakers debut over a year after joining the team in free agency.
Nunn missed the entire 2021-22 season with a bone bruise in his knee despite initial reports claiming the former Miami Heat guard would only be out for three weeks due to the injury. The 27-year-old’s training activity ramp-up was reportedly slowly than anticipated even earlier in the summer.
However, Nunn has now been cleared for all practice drills. And the talented scorer says he feels even better than he did before suffering the injury. “I feel a lot stronger, I got my quickness back and I’m feeling good,” he said after Tuesday’s practice.
“I’ve been working in the weight room all summer and I’m back right.”
Nunn said it meant the world to him to go through the first day of training camp pain-free and finally be able to be there for the Lakers on the floor. “It was everything for me, to be honest. Because last year I wasn’t able to practice and help the team out as much as I wanted to,” Nunn said.
“So just getting the rhythm back, feeling good on the floor with no injuries, just feeling pain-free and able to play is everything for me. So today was a good day for me.”
Nunn said the long break gave him a different perspective on his career and allowed him to learn the importance of appreciating good health. “It helped me grow,” he said.
“As a young player, I probably didn’t take as much value in recovery, you know what I’m saying? Just waking up every day and going out on the floor feeling well, so it helped me grow mentally there on the recovery aspect off the floor and just taking care of my body.”
If healthy, Nunn could prove to be one of the major additions to the Lakers team. After getting undrafted in 2018, he spent a year with the Santa Cruz Warriors before signing with the Miami Heat in 2019-20.
In two seasons with the Heat, Nunn averaged 15 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists, shooting 45.8% from the floor and 36.4% from downtown. If he can keep up the efficiency from 3-point range, the Oakland alum might provide L.A. with some much-needed outside shooting — which they failed to add to the team during the offseason.
Lonnie Walker IV & Troy Brown dealing with minor injuries at start of Lakers’ training camp
Lonnie Walker IV and Troy Brown started training camp with non-contact drills as the two offseason arrivals struggle with minor injuries Vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka has said Walker is dealing with an ankle injury while Brown has a back issue.
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