Lakers’ three first-round picks all sit out

As the Lakers took the court Monday night, fans began chanting for the player who has drawn record crowds to the Las Vegas Summer League.

“We want Lonzo!” came a chorus from somewhere around section 105.

“We want Lonzo!” echoed a group near section 119.

Point guard Lonzo Ball sat on the bench for the Lakers’ 95-92 win over the Sacramento Kings. He sat next to Brandon Ingram, who also was sidelined, and wore a black and gold Big Baller Brand T-shirt. The Lakers held all three of their first-round picks out of their third Summer League game. Ball sat out as a precaution because of a sore groin. Ball suffered the injury in his second practice with the Lakers and said he sat out a week of workouts because of it.

“I definitely wanted to play,” Ball said during an interview with Spectrum SportsNet, the Lakers’ partner station. “They felt as a staff it was better for me to sit this one out. It’s just summer league, being precautious, just day to day.”

The Lakers did not allow independent local media to speak with Ball.

Ball’s absence delayed the much-anticipated third matchup between Ball and Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox. As the news broke, Fox posted an emoji of a man slapping his forehead in dismay.

“I like to play with y’all,” Fox said after the game. “ … I know what y’all do. Made a story didn’t it.”

Fox, who went to Kentucky, played Ball’s UCLA team twice last season. UCLA won the first game and Kentucky won in the NCAA tournament. Magic Johnson, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, attended the second game, when Fox outscored Ball 39-10.

Some questioned the reason for Ball’s absence, including a fan dressed as a King who was shown on the video board holding a sign that said “Lonzo fears Fox.” To that idea, Fox scoffed.

“He’s a competitor,” Fox said. “If he’s hurt, like people said, it’s summer league, don’t risk it. When I tweaked my ankle, coach took me out it was the same thing. No one’s ducking anybody. At the end of the day we’re still going to play each other. We’re both in the NBA for a reason.”

The Lakers also rested first-round picks Kyle Kuzma (cramps) and Josh Hart (right ankle sprain). Ingram, one of the best players at Summer League, played only in the Lakers’ opening game. He went down with cramps at the end of regulation and the Lakers decided to shut him down. They will take a day-by-day approach with Ball, Kuzma and Hart, none of whom has been ruled out for the remainder of Summer League.

“Our training staff is evaluating our players after every game and every practice,” said Jud Buechler, the Lakers’ Summer League coach.

“Their safety and health is the most important thing. We’ll play it very cautiously and go with some other players.”

In Ball’s absence, Alex Caruso started at point guard. The Lakers also started Matt Thomas and Travis Wear at forward, Ivica Zubac at center and David Nwaba at guard. Caruso put on a show, scoring 18 points with four steals and nine assists. On one play, after some suffocating defense by Nwaba, Caruso stole the ball from Kings guard Buddy Hield and threw a lob to Wear for a dunk. With Caruso’s surge early — he scored 14 points in the first half — the Lakers built a 28-point lead.

The Kings surged back to tie the score in the fourth quarter, but Caruso helped stave off the collapse.

As for Ball, the Lakers will reevaluate him and all the other rested players, except for Ingram, on Tuesday. It’s possible that Ball, Kuzma and Hart could return during Summer League.

Ball said he felt OK in the Lakers’ first two games Friday and Saturday. In the second, he notched a triple-double with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. He felt tightness in his groin area after the back-to-back games, but Ball’s injury is not a long-term concern.

“I looked up and saw some empty seats for the first time,” Buechler said, “but like I said before, there are so many guys here who are trying to get jobs.”