Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton will definitely have his hands full this season. Aside from the fact that the whole basketball world will be intently watching how he handles superstar LeBron James, Walton will also be responsible for the development of his young and very talented core.
At the center of this group is prized sophomore Lonzo Ball. The 20-year-old is currently recovering from a season-ending knee injury from last term, and all eyes are on Walton and his staff in terms of how they handle this delicate situation.
Walton recently gave an update on Ball's injury, and shared how the team will be treating his condition with the utmost caution.
Article Continues Belowâ[There's] nothing with the injury now,â said Walton, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. âIt's just the fact that he hasn't played in a long time. We want to make sure we bring him back slow.â
This is Walton and his coaching staff taking a very conservative approach on Ball and his injury â and rightfully so. The last thing they want to do is to rush Ball back to action without the young guard being 100 percent healthy. This runs the risk of re-injuring the knee and puts the promising guard's future in jeopardy.
The upcoming season is not exactly make or break for the Lakers, so they can afford to take it slow with Ball. The recent signing of veteran Rajon Rondo is further testament to the fact that the Lakers will be giving Ball as much time and space as heeds for him to develop into their point guard of the future.