After the Los Angeles Lakers initially held Lonzo Ball out from 5-on-5 scrimmages to start training camp in order to exercise caution with his surgically repaired left knee, the team announced he has been cleared to return to contact — and by extension, battle for a starting job.
Ball had a damaged part of his meniscus removed in order to be ready by training camp, but the team wanted to make sure they weren’t rushing him back before he was ready, a trend with a current training staff that seems to very much prioritize full recoveries over getting a player back on the court as quickly as possible.