Technically, the Los Angeles Lakers are still in playoff contention. However, with the regular season coming to an end and the Lakers likely finishing on the outside looking in, Lonzo Ball is looking ahead to the summer.

Ball, who's expected to miss the remainder of this season due to an ankle injury, says he'll be working hard to refine the finer aspects of his game:

“Obviously, improving everything on the basketball court: My shooting, finishing,” Ball told The Athletic, referring to his off-season plans. “But for my body, working on my legs, and make sure they’re strong and ready. I didn’t get to do any leg work last summer. This is going to be a new summer, most definitely.”

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Though he has a contingent of naysayers, Ball has developed into a fine NBA point guard. Prior to being shut down this season, the Chino Hills native made 47 appearances with the Lakers, racking up averages of 9.9 points on 40.6 percent shooting from the field (32.9 percent from beyond the arc), 5.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 30.3 minutes per outing.

The Lakers have dealt with several injuries this season, including those to Ball, LeBron James and Brandon Ingram. James, who joined the team last summer, missed 17 consecutive games with a groin injury (18 games overall), but he has since returned. Ingram is expected to miss the remainder of the 2018-19 campaign due to a case of deep venous thrombosis in his shoulder.

There are some who feel the Lakers might be interested in trading Ball this summer. Los Angeles is clearly looking for another max-level guy to play alongside James, and Ball could be of considerable value in a trade scenario.