LOS ANGELES – It’s crowded these days in the Lakers’ training room, given all the players who are sitting out and getting treatment. But the Laker who had the most concerning injury has hardly been seen at all.

Brandon Ingram is three weeks removed from shoulder surgery to remove a blood clot and relieve pressure on a key artery, and he hasn’t been around the Lakers’ practice facility or games as he recovers. But Coach Luke Walton said he’s talked to the 21-year-old forward regularly in the meantime, and is eager to see him again.

“Brandon’s a huge part of our organization,” Walton said. “Health is always first. Personally I can only answer for myself, but I feel for a young player who isn’t able to play right now. I check in with him and will be around as much as possible. But Brandon will be fine.”

Ingram is in Los Angeles, Walton confirmed, and is rehabbing, but has not returned to any basketball-related activities to his knowledge.

The organization initially feared a more serious situation when Ingram was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome in early March. He had been on a breakout run, averaging 18.3 points for the season on 49.7 percent shooting and even better following the All-Star break, but the blood clot immediately threw his playing future into question. Related Articles Lakers try to clean up sloppy edges in time for Game 4

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The nature of the issue has led the Lakers to estimate that Ingram should be back to playing in time for the 2019-20 season, a relief to all parties involved. But Ingram, naturally soft-spoken, has retreated from public view in the meantime.

Ingram, who played just 52 games this year, was one of the key pieces the Lakers hoped to coordinate with LeBron James. When the two played on the court together, the Lakers outscored opponents by a point per 100 possessions, and later in the season they had started having big games together.

Blending James in with the existing young core was a problem all season because of injuries, but Walton said he expected that next season, particularly with the benefit of a full summer together, would go more smoothly.

“It’s made it challenging,” he said. “Ideally they’d have a lot more time together. But I think a year is a year. … As a group now, we’ve gone through it. So going into next season, we should at least know what to expect.”

It is unclear whether he will be available to speak to the media after the season. Walton suggested that he’s hoping for some face time, too.

“I’ve talked to him a couple times, but we haven’t seen him,” he said. “So it will be good to see him again when it happens.”

Duke star takes in Lakers-Jazz

No, not that one.

Cam Reddish, one of the freshman stars of Duke’s Elite Eight basketball team this year, sat near midcourt Sunday night next to Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, as good an indication as any that the Pennsylvania native is headed to the pros after one season. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 13.5 points and 3.7 rebounds at Duke.

With a lottery pick this season, Reddish could be in range of the Lakers. He’s projected as ESPN’s No. 7 prospect in the 2019 draft so far, behind Duke teammates Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett. The highest slot the Lakers could draft at as things stand, unless they win a top-four pick in the lottery, is 10th.