The Los Angeles Lakers will be without Avery Bradley for the 2019-20 season’s restart after the shooting guard opted to focus on his family, meaning that the reserve guards on the team will need to pick up more slack.
Alex Caruso is a likely candidate to pick up extra work as he is tenacious on defense and can help check opposing perimeter players. Rajon Rondo will also be asked to take on more responsibility as the veteran guard is familiar with running the offense and ensuring the team can get into its sets.
At 34 years old, Rondo is clearly not the player he used to be but still holds value as a ballandler and playmaker, especially in transition. However, his availability moving forward may be uncertain.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Malika Andrews, Rondo suffered a hand injury in Sunday night’s practice at Walt Disney World:
Los Angeles Lakers guard Rajon Rondo suffered a “significant” hand injury during practice on Sunday evening, sources told ESPN. Rondo, 34, underwent medical evaluation on his hand and thumb, sources said, and the severity of the injury should be known Monday morning.
During the season’s hiatus, the Lakers were holding each accountable via Zoom workout sessions and it was reported that each player was keeping up with their training regimens. Rondo appeared to have greatly benefitted from that as he reported to the team’s training facility with added bulk.
Justifiably or not, Rondo has caught flak for his up and down play during the regular season from the media and the fans, but him being in impeccable shape could be a sign that the former All-Star is ready to prove any doubters wrong. He lacks the same burst and speed he had, but he is undoubtedly one of the smartest players in the league and has been known to be able to call out opposing teams’ plays in the middle of games.
Frank Vogel singles out conditioning as primary concern for Lakers
With four months off from professional basketball being played, there is major concern from the coaching staffs how well their players will look once scrimmages and games officially begin in Orlando.
For head coach Frank Vogel, he noted that conditioning was a primary concern for the Lakers and that he would need to monitor how hard the coaching staff is working the players. Vogel also mentioned that he would likely play all 17 players during the team’s upcoming scrimmages, a smart move to get everyone in a groove but to prevent any overusage before the regular season.
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