The main goal of every NBA team’s training camp and preseason is to remain healthy, and unfortunately for the Los Angeles Lakers that wasn’t the case this year.
Rookie point guard Lonzo Ball suffered a sprained ankle in the team’s second preseason game that kept him out of the rest of the preseason. In addition to Ball, other guys like Brook Lopez, Julius Randle, Andrew Bogut and Josh Hart have also dealt with some nagging injuries, although none are believed to be too serious.
Hart made his way back from a hamstring injury that kept him out of the first couple preseason games and he actually played well in limited minutes to close out the preseason.
The Lakers and Hart got some bad news at practice Monday though, as Hart suffered a left Achilles strain that will require an MRI and could keep him out for some time, via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Josh Hart has a left Achilles strain and will get an MRI today.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) October 16, 2017
With starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope set to miss the first two games due to a suspension, Hart may have been in the running to start in his place, although it was unlikely due to his limited preseason action.
Hart impressed head coach Luke Walton this preseason though, particularly on the defensive end of the floor. In four games he averaged 6.0 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 52.9 percent from the field.
The 30th overall pick in this past draft played four years at Villanova and won a National Championship, so he will be ready to produce right away more than most late first round picks, health permitting, of course.
