Time will tell, but it’s possible the most important player on the Illinois roster might be the guy that has yet to play a game for the Illini.

So Sam Maniscalco’s health is a top priority. And the staff continues to monitor the transfer from Bradley with a close eye.

Maniscalco, who underwent a pair of ankle surgeries in the past year, is participating in most workouts. But his workout schedule is lighter than most, and Weber said the point guard hasn’t played in pickup games the past two Saturdays.

“Usually by the end of the week he’s hurting,” Bruce Weber said Tuesday after a team workout. “When you’ve never had surgery and then you have two of them, it’s hard. You have to rebuild all of that strength.”

Weber said Maniscalco’s weekly schedule includes a team workout, a workout in the pool and a third workout where “we play it by ear, depending on how he’s feeling.”

“When you get into the season it’s actually easier. It’s just a matter of getting through that practice grind,” the coach said.

The next test will come when Illinois opens practice in earnest Oct. 14. The Illini will have roughly four weeks before the season opener against Loyola on Nov. 11.

“The whole thing is how is going to deal with that grind of the first three weeks? It’s a fine line,” Weber said. “He needs to get in basketball shape but you don’t want to push him too hard. We’ve got to be careful with him. He’s got to get stronger, but we want him when we get to January and February. That’s the goal. We’ve got to get there.”