While the Los Angeles Lakers had previously ruled out Brandon Ingram (sprained ankle) and Rajon Rondo (hand surgery) for Thursday’s game with the Houston Rockets, head coach Luke Walton announced they would not so much as join the team at the outset of the four-game road trip.
Rondo reunited with the Lakers the weekend after his hand surgery and has been a mainstay on the bench since. Ingram did not join the Lakers on their last trip, which began two days after he suffered the sprained ankle against the San Antonio Spurs.
While Rondo had been advancing in his recovery, it stalled a bit as he had the hand drained in effort to alleviate some of the swelling. The procedure was completed Sunday, and called for three days of no activity.
“He’s going to meet with a doctor and then we’ll go from there, depending on what she says,” answered Walton when asked if Rondo would soon resume his on-court work. While the veteran point guard won’t be in Houston, Walton did not rule out Rondo joining the Lakers as their trip continues.
“It all depends on what the doctor says. If it’s a good appointment and he’s cleared to start doing stuff again, then there’s a chance he meets us out on the road,” Walton explained.
The same applies to Ingram, who won’t be re-evaluated until Saturday, the same day the Lakers face the Charlotte Hornets. They then have games with the Washington Wizards (Sunday) and Brooklyn Nets (Tuesday) before returning home.
“We’ll make that decision come Saturday,” Walton said of Ingram possibly meeting the team. “A lot of that is up to the medical staff.”
