Looks like Lonzo Ball will not be part of All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.
Ball has been out with what the team has called a sprained MCL in his knee for the past 13 games, and he has played in just five games total since Christmas. While he practiced with the team on Tuesday and reportedly looked good, the Lakers are not bringing him back until after the All-Star break.
Which means while he is picked for Team USA in the Friday night Rising Stars challenge for All-Star weekend, he almost certainly will be sitting this one out.
Walton said it’s not his decision about whether Lonzo Ball would play in the Rising Stars game on Friday, but since the Lakers are holding him out of the two prior games (Wednesday and Thursday night), safe to assume he won’t play on Friday.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) February 13, 2018
Ball is a big part of the Lakers’ future, they are not going to the playoffs this season, there is zero reason to push his return and risk any further injury. This is the right play.
The league will pick his replacement.
It just sucks, because watching Ball’s passes in the defense-free zone that is the Rising Stars game would have been a blast.