One of the biggest disappointments for the Los Angeles Lakers in a season that was defined by them last year was the fact Kendrick Nunn was unable to play all year because of a bone bruise in his knee.
There was some concern for him this summer; the team was extremely cautious about ramping up his activity.
But he is healthy now, and he finally got back out on the court for game action in the Lakers’ preseason opener versus the Sacramento Kings on Monday.
His numbers — nine points on 4-of-7 shooting and five turnovers — weren’t exactly earth-shattering, but he looked solid at times, even if he wasn’t asserting himself as much as some would like.
More importantly, he said he felt good in his return.
“Getting my legs back under me, my speed, my strength, I felt real good out there,” Nunn said.
The Chicago native can make a big impact on the Lakers this season by giving them a legitimate scoring threat, another ball-handling initiator at guard and even another point-of-attack defender on the other end of the floor.
He can also reduce LeBron James’ workload during the regular season, which head coach Darvin Ham has identified as one of his big goals for the year.