The Los Angeles Lakers faced a bit of bad news earlier this summer when it was reported that Lonzo Ball had a meniscus tear in his left knee. While the Lakers were confident that Ball would be ready for training camp, there were some questions about what treatment Ball would take.
He’d previously received a platelet-rich plasma injection which required the point guard to keep off a basketball court for one month. When recently asked about his status and potential surgery, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka deferred the question to Ball’s camp.
A few days later, the Lakers announced he would undergo arthroscopic surgery on the balky left knee. Ball missed 30 games during his rookie season due to a variety of ailments, including his knee.
Fortunately, Sam Amick of USA Today reports that, even with surgery, the expectation remains that Ball will be fully recovered in time for training camp:
Even with Lakers announcement that Lonzo Ball is undergoing arthroscopic surgery to his left knee on Tuesday, I'm told he's still expected to be ready for training camp.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 13, 2018
While the hope is that Ball will indeed be ready to go in time for training camp, the Lakers protected themselves by signing veteran maestro Rajon Rondo as a free agent. He fills a need as a mentor that the team lacked this past season.
The Lakers have also stated that four of five starting spots are up for grabs (with LeBron James being the obvious exception), which means that Rondo could usurp the starting role even if Ball is healthy.
With James in town and pressure to cement his starting status, Ball will have to hope to heal quickly and completely as he prepared for what should be a challenging 2018-19 season.
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