Earlier this week, Los Angeles Lakers combo guard Kendrick Nunn achieved a significant milestone on his continued road to recovery from the long-term injury that kept him off the floor for the entirety of the 2021-22 NBA season.
Kyle Goon of Southern California News Group reports that this past Tuesday marked Nunn’s first full team practice since suffering a right knee bone bruise during the 2021-22 preseason.
“Getting the rhythm back and feeling good on the floor with no injuries, feeling pain-free and able to play is everything for me,” Nunn reflected. “So today was a good day for me.”
Scroll to Continue
The former Heat guard inked a two-year, $10.25 million contract with the Lakers using the team’s taxpayer mid-level exception during the summer of 2021. It was among several offseason missteps for Rob Pelinka and the rest of LA’s front office brain trust. Per Shams Charania of The AthleticNunn rejected a bigger offer from the New York Knicks at the time, no doubt hoping to contend for a title in LA Given his injury history at this point, the 6’2″ guard will be lucky to earn more than the veteran’s minimum next seasons.
Though the 27-year-old’s expiring $5.25 million salary for 2022-23 doesn’t sound like much, it actually makes him the sixth-highest earner on a very top-heavy LA club, behind only maximum-salaried vets LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook, well-compensated point guard Patrick Beverley, and this year’s mid-level exception signing, Lonnie Walker IV.
We’re crossing our fingers that Los Angeles plays Nunn for limited minutes during the 2022 preseason!