The Los Angeles Lakers announced Sunday night that Rajon Rondo suffered a broken thumb, expected to sideline the veteran point guard for six to eight weeks. This could be a crushing blow to the Lake Show, who were already lacking in playmaking due to the absence of Avery Bradley, who along with Rondo would often serve as the secondary ball handler to LeBron James. Rondo has excelled in this role his entire career, but this season was his tour de force.
The Rondo-James pairing was the engine behind the Purple and Gold’s best offensive unit, boasting a whopping offensive rating of 121.7. The lineup of Rondo, James, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, and Dwight Howard ranks fourth highest of all lineups in the league that have played at least 100 minutes together. Having been dealt a serious blow to their offense, Frank Vogel, Jason Kidd, and the rest of the Lakers’ coaching staff will need to get creative to maximize their chances at a title. Here’s five adjustments they could make in order to do so.
- Treat LeBron as a full-time point guard
Though LA’s best offensive unit sees Rondo manning the 1 slot, their most played lineups feature King James running point. Given the Lakers’ relative depth at the wing positions (Danny Green and Caldwell-Pope are both steady three and D players), as well as the recent additions of floor-spacers in JR Smith and Markieff Morris (shooting 39% from three this year), the Lakers have enough talent to cover the forward position should they commit to permanently using LeBron as a point guard.
- Go full meme and start Alex Caruso
Having garnered the adoration of basketball fans worldwide, Caruso’s combination of shooting ability, size, and athleticism could potentially land him a spot in the starting lineup. The largest obstacle he’ll have to overcome is a lack of experience: aside from having never played a minute in the postseason, Caruso has only started 12 games in his entire career. Nevertheless, global support for the NBA’s latest fan favorite is at an all time high, and especially if the Lakers clinch the one seed, Caruso could further his legend by starting a surprising number of games in Orlando.
- Lean into experience and start Quinn Cook
Though Cook’s statline this year was less than inspiring, it’s clear that he’s the most experienced point guard option available on the Lakers’ roster. Cook has a history of showing up in big games: he won an NCAA title in his tenure with Duke and hit some big shots to keep the Warriors’ title hopes alive before Toronto eventually closed out last year’s finals. At 6’1”, Cook is a clear negative on defense, but his ability to beat defenders off the dribble and knock down three-pointers could lead to him seeing significant postseason minutes.
- Call up Darren Collison (again)
The Lakers were heavily rumored to sign Collison in February, and after he was spotted watching a game at the Staples Center, the ink on the contract seemed to be all but dried. In a surprise twist, Collison announced a few days later that he would remain in retirement, spurning both LA teams in the process. Though the Lakers failed to woo him out of retirement, it’s clear that they came close: after all, it’s not a coincidence that Collison happened to be sitting in close proximity to Jeanie Buss, the owner of the Lakers. The team could’ve used a player like Collison in February, but they absolutely need him now. Both a plus defender and playmaker (averaging five assists per game over his career), you have to believe the Lakers would pull out all the stops for a player who shot over 45% on threes just two short years ago.
- Play the Free Agent Game
If Collison is truly off the table, the Lakers might have to go bargain shopping in the free agent market. Isaiah Thomas is the most high-profile free agent available, but given his prior unfriendly departure from the Lakers and similar profile to Cook, it’s likely that the front office will look elsewhere. The best blend of potential, experience, and fit is Jerryd Bayless, a 31 year-old NBA veteran of 15 seasons. Bayless is a solid shotmaker from everywhere on the floor, and at 6’3” he’s long enough to not hamstring you on defense. However, his main selling point to the Lakers lies in his playmaking. His experience as a pick and roll ball handler caters directly to the team’s needs, and his career 21.2% assist rate ranks him in the midst of some of the NBA’s most solid passers, such as Patrick Beverley, Jamal Murray, and Marcus Smart.
While the Lakers are likely to use LeBron as their main point guard going forward, it’s clear that they’ll need to make more adjustments than that. Whether they choose one of the options above or try to get more creative (is Tony Parker worth a call?), it’s clear that Rajon Rondo’s injury makes the Lakers point guard spot one of the most interesting positional battles heading into the postseason.
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