The Lakers will be without the services of Rajon Rondo for at least “a couple of weeks,” according to coach Luke Walton, who revealed that the point guard broke his hand in Wednesday’s win over Portland.
Rondo apparently fractured the third metacarpal on his right hand while making a steal in the fourth quarter, according to Walton.
“He’s a true leader,” Lonzo Ball said. “He’s a coach on the floor, knows all the plays and knows where everybody is supposed to be. So it’s going to be tough having him out.”
Rondo averaged 8.5 points, 6.5 assists and 4.5 rebounds, while shooting 45.5 percent from the field in 11 games, primarily serving as the Lakers’ second-unit point guard.
While the Lakers do not have another player on the roster as experienced at controlling an NBA offense as the 13-year veteran, they do have several options to replace him in his stead.
Ball will continue to start at point guard, while LeBron James — who ranks 10th in the league in assists (7.2) — has already run point for large swaths of the season.
Meanwhile, Lance Stephenson played point off the bench while Rondo was suspended for three games this season, and Brandon Ingram thrived in a multi-game stretch as the starting point guard (in place of an injured Ball) last year.
Plus, two-way player Alex Caruso and rookie Svi Mykhailiuk (who ran point for the Ukrainian national team) can also be summoned from the G League.
“It’s tough,” James said. “[Rondo] is one of our captains, one of our leaders. I heard we have great surgeons here in L.A., so he’ll get right to it, start his rehab as fast as possible, get him back. It’s next man up.”