Lakers lay down restrictions on Lonzo Ball as he returns from injury

The Los Angeles Lakers are ready to welcome Lonzo Ball back to the lineup after the No. 2 pick missed 15 games in a row leading into the All-Star break. He also sat out of the Rising Stars Challenge.

The time has come for him to return to the court, lacing up his ZO2 Primes against the Dallas Mavericks Friday night. He went through a full team practice Thursday and is ready to close out his rookie season.

Ball will be on a minutes restriction, according to reports coming out of El Segundo, though there were no specifications on what that will be just yet. Lonzo will also sit out of back-to-backs for the time being, the team announced, which means he’ll miss the Lakers’ game against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday.

The Lakers’ next back-to-back isn’t until Mar. 14 against the Golden State Warriors, which is a pretty big bound away from Ball’s status as of Feb. 23. Expect the Lakers to remain cautious with Ball’s integration, especially following the Isaiah Thomas acquisition. How they work together will be interesting, though Walton may need to stagger them more while Lonzo plays lower minute totals.