Lakers' Lonzo Ball dealing with bone bruise in ankle that could delay return

Lonzo Ball has a bone bruise in his left ankle that could keep him out past the six weeks the Los Angeles Lakers initially said he would miss, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Ball has been sidelined since suffering a Grade 3 sprain to his left ankle on Jan. 19.

The second-year point guard initially thought he might have broken the ankle when he suffered the injury in a game at theHouston Rockets, but an X-ray revealed no fracture.

The Lakers will need Ball down the stretch as they try to make the playoffs. They entered Friday night in 10th place in the Western Conference.

"We are still missing a key piece of our unit in Zo, which we've missed a lot," LeBron James said. "But we are definitely together [as a team], and we look forward to seeing what we are capable of."

The Los Angeles Times first reported the news of Ball's bone bruise.