Ball will sit out Monday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings thanks to a lingering groin injury.
Ball, the No. 2 overall selection in last month’s NBA Draft, has been dealing with the injury since last week, but the ailment is not considered serious.
“Their safety and health is the most important thing”, said Lakers assistant coach Jud Buechler, who is coaching the summer league team but deferred to the team’s training staff.
“I know that I can play basketball”, Caruso said after the game.
“No one is ducking anybody at the end of the day”.
While it may not be a sign that Lonzo “changed the culture”, Lakers fans did lose their minds the very first time Lonzo touched the ball.
“He’s a competitor”, Fox said of Ball after the Lakers held off the Kings to win 95-92. These two prospects were hyped as rivals, especially after Fox dropped 39 points in the Sweet 16 when Kentucky played UCLA. Buddy Hield sank 6-of-9 3-pointers and scored 22 points while Frank Mason had 24 points for the Kings. After logging five assists, four rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot against the Clippers, Ball had a triple-double against the Celtics with 11 assists and 11 rebounds. That he plays for the high-profile Lakers only increases the scrutiny from a large contingent of people rooting for him to fail.
Lakers rookies Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart will also sit out Monday’s game, according to LA Times reporter Tania Ganguli. They could opt to just play it safe with their point guard. Ball didn’t speak to the national media, but said during an interview with Spectrum SportsNets, the Lakers’ partner station, that sitting out wasn’t his decision.
The NBA world was upset Tuesday (AEDT) when it was announced there would be no Lonzo Ball vs. De’Aaron Fox rematch. If he had to sit out, he sat out. Both the Lakers and Kings are in the NBA’s Pacific Division, meaning there are a whole lot of showdowns between these two players down the road.