Lakers Preparing For Brandon Ingram To Miss Games With Injury, LeBron James To Play More Point Guard

LeBron James Brandon Ingram Lakers — Lonzo Ball #2 of the Los Angeles Lakers grabs his ankle in front of Lonzo Ball #2, LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma #0 and Tyson Chandler #5 during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs Staples Center on December 5, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Harry How/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Lakers appear to be preparing for life without Brandon Ingram, at least for a few games. L.A. has recalled rookie Isaac Bonga from the G-League less than 24 hours after Ingram left team’s most recent game with a sprained ankle.

Ingram suffered the injury midway through the first quarter of the Lakers’ contest with the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday night. X-rays were negative, but the former No.2 overall pick didn’t return as LeBron James scored 20 fourth-quarter points in a 121-113 victory.

“There's no timetable or anything like that yet, but they said he got it pretty good,” Lakers’ head coach Luke Walton said of Ingram after the game, via ESPN.com.

Caught Brandon Ingram (ankle) walking out tonight. He definitely had a limp but wasn’t using the crutches he came to his locker with. Depending on how it swells overnight, Lakers might be getting lucky because initially the injury seemed more serious.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 6, 2018

With Ingram our Bonga gets some experience with the parent club. Probably just a “in case of emergency” move, but for those who only saw him in Summer League, Bonga has been very good in the G-League. https://t.co/ANKNQLVDOj
— Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane) December 6, 2018

Ingram, 21, has been somewhat of a disappointment in his third NBA season. The forward is averaging 15.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game. After he averaged 16.1 points per game and 39.0 percent shooting from three-point range last year, Ingram is making just 32.4 percent of his threes this season.

It’s been suggested that Ingram might be struggling to play alongside LeBron James, who is leading the Lakers in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals in his first year with the team. Kyle Kuzma is Los Angeles’ second-leading scorer with 16.8 points per game.

Ingram missed four games earlier this season because of a suspension he drew for his role in an altercation with the Houston Rockets. The Lakers went 2-2 during that stretch.

The Lakers are already dealing with one injury to a key contributor. Rajon Rondo is recovering from a broken right hand that could sideline him for a few more games. Before sitting out the last 10 contests, Rondo was averaging 25.3 minutes per game.

Ingram has spent time playing point guard when Lonzo Ball has been on the bench. Walton told reporters Thursday that the team will try to make sure either James or Ball is on the court most of the game if Ingram is forced to miss time.

Los Angeles will visit the Spurs on Friday before playing on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies Saturday night.

Basketball