Kendrick Nunn’s injury has prevented the guard from playing in a single competitive game for the Los Angeles Lakers since he joined the team in 2021.
Nunn signed a two-year, $10.3 million contract with L.A. ahead of the 2021-22 season. However, the former Miami Heat guard hurt his knee during the preseason and he has not been on the court ever since.
There have been conflicting reports about Nunn’s recovery with the latest claiming his ramp-up process has been “slower than anticipated.” But Nunn appears to have debunked the rumors in his response on Twitter:
Nunn was supposed to be re-evaluated about three weeks after injuring his knee. The guard’s return would then be delayed several times with him ultimately missing the entire 2021-22 season.
The 27-year-old claimed he has been “feeling 100%” earlier this summer. But around the same time, reports claimed he had yet to participate in five-on-five play in training.
In the latest update, The Athletic’s Jovan Buha claims Nunn “has been around the facility shooting and working out” before adding “it’s been a slower than anticipated ramp-up.”
The Oakland alum averaged 15.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 123 games for the Heat between 2019-2021. He shot 45.8% from the field and 36.4% from 3-point range, proving to be a two-way combo guard the Lakers badly missed last season.
When back on the court, Nunn says L.A. can expect him to provide for the team with consistency. “That’s my number one thing. Coming in, night in, night out, and bring and be consistent on both ends of the floor,” he said in July.
Austin Reaves & Thomas Bryant two ‘standout performers’ in Lakers player workouts
While the Lakers are still hoping to strengthen the roster ahead of the season tip-off, most of them are back in the gym, putting in the work to make sure the team is ready to bounce back from a nightmare 2021-22 campaign.
And reports claim Austin Reaves and Thomas Bryant have been in particularly good shape, emerging as “two of the standout performers” in player workouts.
Reaves has reportedly bulked up to 209 pounds, a significant factor in his development as a defensive specialist.
L.A.’s training camp will officially begin on Sept. 27, less than a week before the team’s preseason opener against the Sacramento Kings. They will begin the season with a clash against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 18.
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