Lonzo Ball Cleared for Contact After Knee Injury; Unlikely to Play in Preseason

While Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball returned to full practice Thursday for the first time this year, he isn't likely to suit up in the team's first preseason game, according to Mike Trudell of the team's official site.

"I doubt he'll play Sunday," head coach Luke Walton said. "Today was his first full contact and we’ll see how he feels tomorrow."

Ball underwent a knee scope during the summer and was limited at the start of camp, but he has said this week he's now back to normal.

"I just got cleared," the guard said Monday, per Trudell. "I'm finally 100 percent."

Still, it might be a tough challenge for him to play Sunday against the Denver Nuggets with just a few days to get up to speed.

Injuries were a problem for Ball during his rookie season, being limited to 52 games due to a variety of ailments, including to his knee. He was inconsistent when he was on the court as well, especially struggling with his shot while hitting 36 percent from the field.

However, the No. 2 pick in 2017 filled up the stat sheet while averaging 10.2 points, 7.2 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game. The team is clearly hoping for big things in 2018-19 if the guard can stay healthy.