Lakers News: LeBron James, Lonzo Ball Playing Together Excites Luke Walton

Wednesday's preseason game against the Golden State Warriors could see LeBron James and Lonzo Ball play alongside each other for the first time as Los Angeles Lakers teammates.

Ball missed out on the latter half of his rookie season due to injury and later underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in July. He is yet to feature in preseason so far, but that could change this week, according to head coach Luke Walton.

“He’s [Ball] close — and again, it’s just us playing it safe right now,” Walton said Saturday after the Lakers lost to the Clippers. "We have tomorrow off. So it’s a nice two-day rest where he can just get treatment and then we got two days of solid practice before the next game. So it just felt like the right thing to do. So, he’s getting real close.”

Ball returning to action means he could potentially team up with James, who arrived in Los Angeles earlier this summer in a four-year deal.

“That’s one of the things I still need to see that we haven’t had is what lineups look like when both of those guys are playing,” Walton added. “I’m excited and hopeful, but again, we’re going to take it day by day. If any setbacks or whatnot, then we won’t rush it, again. But I would expect Wednesday that happens.”

A partnership between the duo could be what's in store for Lakers fans at least for three of the next four years, owing to the player option James holds for the 2021/22 season.

Both players were among the top 10 in assists per game during the regular season and could contribute to a devastating fast-break style of play the Lakers want to incorporate.

There's also a bit of intrigue to see how they do together purely for the comments Ball's controversial father LaVar has made in recent months regarding how his son will help make the three-time NBA champion an even better player.

"Lonzo and him are going to fit together like a glove," LaVar said a few days after James signed in July. "Lonzo makes everybody better, including him. Lonzo’s going to get along with anybody he plays with. He’s just got that special gift."

"Lonzo’s not 6'1 or 6'2 like Kyrie [Irving]. Lonzo’s not ball-dominant, where he’s just dribbling the ball while you’re watching him try to do a crossover and make a layup down the lane. Anybody would enjoy playing with my boy, it’s always been like that," he added.

Meanwhile, James is yet to play in the second half of a Lakers preseason game and did not feature in the side's heavy 103-87 defeat to the Clippers over the weekend.

However, it's all for a greater purpose as Walton hopes everything starts to come together when the Lakers kick off their season against the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 18.

“I think it’s been going on 11-12 days with a double-day in there, and he’s [James] been great,” Walton explained. “So it’s more of just, look, we’ve got to be ready for the regular season. Same idea. Tomorrow is off too and he already went and got a workout in at the facility this morning. So it’s more just making sure that when the regular season starts, we’re peaking."