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The Los Angeles Lakers have officially ruled Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma out for Sunday’s matchup with the Utah Jazz. However, there’s a chance that the Lakers could be without all three for the remainder of the season, according to head coach Luke Walton.
Asked Luke Walton if he'd be comfortable with either Lonzo Ball or Brandon Ingram playing (assuming they're cleared on Monday):
— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) April 8, 2018
Luke Walton: “No, I would not be very comfortable with the fact there’s one day left without a game and then a back-to-back.”
The Lakers have been cautious with their players this season, to put it lightly, and with good reason. With playoffs out of the question, there’s no urgency to have Ball, Ingram or Kuzma back, especially because all three are under contract next season.
They have shown enough in their young careers to warrant the hype that is surrounding them and there’s no sense in jeopardizing their careers with a serious injury in meaningless games in April.
Will the Lakers lose out for the rest of the season without two of their top-three leading scorers and their only capable point guard? Probably, but I’m confident fans would much rather see them on opening night than in a Sunday matinee game against the Utah Jazz.
While it would be nice to see them one more time before the summer break, having them sit out the season wouldn’t be the worst thing.