The Los Angeles Lakers are still trying to find the right starting lineup. On Sunday, they won’t have a full complement of players to do so with.
Rajon Rondo will miss his third consecutive game on Sunday as the Lakers take on the Charlotte Hornets. Rondo is dealing with a calf injury, and according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, he undertook an MRI on Saturday as a precaution. That confirmed that he is dealing with only a minor strain, and he is still day-to-day.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel has indicated that Rondo will have a big role waiting for him upon his return. “I envision Rajon Rondo being a major player for us this year, a 25-30 minute a game guy. Whether he starts or comes off the bench. So that naturally will lighten the load,” Vogel said on Wednesday in regards to the enormous ball-handling load LeBron James had to carry on opening night against the Los Angeles Clippers. These comments drew ire from Lakers fans who had seen Rondo struggle last season. Lineups that included both Rondo and James were outscored by 5.5 points per 100 possessions last season.
Contrarily, the Lakers turned to Alex Caruso at point guard to open the second half against the Utah Jazz on Friday and found quite a bit of success. What was a six-point halftime lead was pushed as high as 23. Caruso became a fan-favorite last season due to his defense, energy and a hot-shooting run. The Lakers also moved Anthony Davis to center during that run, though, and the freed space on the court was also largely responsible for that success.
As the season progresses, the Lakers are going to need to find a balance between their four point guards. James will get minutes as the sole ball-handler on the floor. Quinn Cook has played quite a bit in the first two games of the season, but his defensive and ball-handling limitations are problems. Rondo has the faith of Davis and James, but his defense was a major problem last season as well, and defenses rarely guard him behind the arc. That makes spacing the court significantly more difficult, especially if Davis is playing alongside a second center.
Caruso’s energy was a big factor against the Jazz. His four pass deflections in the second half alone already have him second on the team, and he is a willing cutter offensively. If he makes shots consistently, he will remain solidly in the rotation.
Vogel will experiment with all four players in different looks. Finding the right balance between winning regular-season games and keeping the team rested for the playoffs is going to be one of the stories of their season. In that sense, being cautious with Rondo makes sense. Not only does it give the Lakers more of a chance to evaluate other players, but it ensures that he doesn’t return until he is ready.
