Oct 2, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball (2) shoots the ball in front of Denver Nuggets guard Will Barton (5) during the second half at Staples Center. Photo Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers decided to keep rookie point guard Lonzo Ball out of their Sunday night preseason game against the Sacramento Kings to allow his sprained left ankle time to continue to heal.
Ball was to miss his second consecutive game. He sustained the injury on Oct. 2 when he landed on Denver Nuggets point guard Emmanuel Mudiay’s foot near the end of the first half of a preseason game.
There are questions as to whether the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft will return at all during the preseason. Lakers coach Luke Walton said Ball has had difficulty with his lateral movement, and the team considers the guard’s status as day-to-day.
The Lakers open the regular season on Oct. 19 against the Los Angeles Clippers.
–Philadelphia 76ers forward/center Richaun Holmes was diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture in the radial bone of his left wrist.
The injury occurred at the 1:37 mark in the third quarter Friday in a preseason game against the Boston Celtics.
Holmes, 23, will be re-evaluated in approximately three weeks. That means he probably will miss the first two weeks of the regular season.
The 6-foot-10, 235-pound Holmes averaged 9.8 points and 5.5 rebounds last season when he played in 57 games, including 17 starts.
–The Toronto Raptors officially signed guard Norman Powell to a multiyear contract extension.
It was reported earlier in the week that Powell agreed to a four-year, $42 million extension starting with the 2018-19 season.
“Norm is a young, athletic and versatile player who has worked extremely hard to improve each season,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said in a statement. “We view Norm as a significant part of our team going forward.”
In two seasons with the Raptors, the 24-year-old Powell has averaged 7.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 16.7 minutes in 125 career games (42 starts).
