Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said Rajon Rondo will take the floor against Phoenix. He said the Kentucky product will have a 15-minute restriction in his first game of the season as he returns from a calf injury.
Vogel also revealed Rondo will not play Wednesday’s contest against the Golden State Warriors because he has not yet been medically cleared to participate in back-to-backs.
Rondo is one of the better point guards of his generation as a four-time All-Star, three-time assist champion, four-time All-Defensive selection and 2008 NBA champion (as a member of the Boston Celtics), but the 33-year-old will likely be a role player on this Lakers squad.
He averaged 9.2 points, 8.0 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per outing in 46 games for the Lakers last season and will likely put up similar numbers as a secondary option who looks to set up his teammates in 2019-20.
The Lakers have been fine without Rondo in the early portion of this season and are off to a 7-2 start. Alex Caruso and Avery Bradley have played in ball-handling roles, and LeBron James can also play as a de facto point guard as one of the best facilitators in league history. AP