Kofi Inkoom
Kings’ Trey Lyles is poised for a quick comeback after an 11-game absence due to a calf injury, and could potentially rejoin the team during the current six-game road trip.
His return is eagerly awaited, especially considering that big man, Alex Len is expected to remain sidelined until early 2024.
In a conversation with the Sacramento Bee, Lyles, a significant contributor off the bench during the Kings’ last season playoff run, expressed his gratitude to the team’s medical and training staff for their careful approach. With much optimism, he looks forward to stepping back onto the court in the upcoming days.
“I feel great,” Lyles told Reporters. “It’s been a little bit of a longer process than I wanted, but I appreciate the medical staff and the training staff for taking the best care of me and bringing me along at the right speed. I’m the type who would probably push it a little harder than needed, so I give a lot of credit to them for helping me along the way. The last few days, I’ve been feeling great, so I’m looking to continue to progress and hopefully be out there soon.”
Emphasizing the need for proper conditioning, Lyles aims to extend his playing time to seven to eight minutes compared to his previous two to three minutes.
“Yeah, definitely planning on being out there for this trip,” Lyles said. “I’ve got to leave it up to the medical staff to clear me, but me being a competitor, I definitely want to be out there…..Also want to make sure I’m able to play seven to eight minutes instead of two to three minutes.”
Lyles, who contributed significantly to the Kings’ success last season, averaging 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds, suffered a left calf strain during preseason warmups.
Despite initial expectations of a brief recovery, the injury persisted, delaying his return.
The Kings’ upcoming games against the Mavericks, Pelicans, and Timberwolves offer potential opportunities for Lyles to make his season debut.