Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo underwent successful surgery on his fractured right thumb on Wednesday, the team said today (Twitter link). The club reiterated the same timeline that was announced earlier this week, indicating that Rondo will resume full basketball activities in approximately six-to-eight weeks.
As we noted when the injury was first reported, the Lakers will have to lean more heavily on some of their other backcourt options now that Rondo is on the shelf and Avery Bradley has voluntarily opted out of the restart. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green, and Alex Caruso are all candidates to receive a bump in minutes, while recently-signed guards Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith will move up the depth chart and could see some action.
Rondo, 34, was playing a career-low 20.8 minutes per game this season after averaging 31.7 MPG during the first 13 years of his NBA career. Still, that made him a regular part of L.A.’s rotation off the bench. He has recorded 7.1 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 3.0 RPG in 48 games (three starts) in 2019/20.
Rondo left the NBA’s Walt Disney World campus to undergo Wednesday’s procedure and figures to remain away from Orlando as he goes through his rehab process. However, the club expects to get him back at some point in the postseason. A six-to-eight week absence would give the veteran a chance to return for some or all of the Lakers’ second-round series, which projects to start on or around August 31.
The 2nd round could start in September
It’s scheduled to start on 8/31, but it might be a little later. Either way I doubt that the Lakers should rely on having him back any time soon, even if he’s recovered from his surgery in 6 weeks he won’t be in game shape and they will be in the middle of the playoffs struggling to reach the WCF.
Never cared much for RONDO despite all the hype.
Always preferred Mountain Dew and to a lesser degree, Mello Yello.
That’s Brawndo: it’s got what plants crave!
Wonder if he bitched about the luxuriousness (or lack thereof) of his OR suite?