Like the rest of the 22 teams in Orlando for the NBA’s restart, the Los Angeles Lakers have begun practicing again as they hope to regain the form that made them the top team in the Western Conference prior to the hiatus.
At the core, it’s about LeBron James and Anthony Davis playing at the MVP and DPOY caliber they were respectively when at their peak this season, but there’s ample pressure on their supporting cast to step up and fill the necessary roles around them. With Avery Bradley opting out of the restart, the Lakers backcourt figured to rely heavily on the efforts of Rajon Rondo and Alex Caruso to run the offense, with new signings J.R. Smith and Dion Waiters capable of filling in minutes at the two-guard spot but unlikely to take on major roles.
On Sunday, that plan may have been changed when Rondo reportedly suffered a “significant” hand injury, and will be evaluated further on Monday, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Malika Andrews.
Lakers guard Rajon Rondo suffered a “significant” hand injury during practice on Sunday evening, sources told me and @malika_andrews. Rondo, 34, underwent medical evaluation on his hand and thumb, sources said, and the severity of the injury should be known Monday morning
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 13, 2020
Rondo missed significant time in the 2018-19 season due to a pair of hand injuries — a fractured hand and, later, a sprained finger. It’s unknown exactly what the injury he suffered on Sunday is, but if he is to miss major time it will be a big blow to the Lakers backcourt depth. Caruso would step into the starting lineup and likely need to play big minutes, and their newly signed reserves would likely be needed to play more often come playoff time than would’ve been originally planned.
We will have to wait for an official release to know the specifics of the injury and a potential timetable, but it’s an inauspicious start to the Lakers restart.