The Los Angeles Lakers suffered one of the first major injuries of the Orlando “bubble” camp on Sunday, as point guard Rajon Rondo suffered a right thumb fracture.
Rondo, who has played 20.5 minutes per game this season, averaging 7.1 points, 5.0 assists, and 3.0 rebounds per game, will need surgery to repair the fracture and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks of action as he recovers.
The veteran point guard, considered one of the Lakers’ most important bench pieces and a key role player in the Lakers’ pursuit of a championship, will certainly miss the rest of the regular season and a significant chunk of the playoffs due to his thumb.
The former Celtics star, a four-time All-Star and three-time NBA assists leader, has been a key depth piece for the team all season and his absence will certainly be felt going forward.
Alex Caruso and Quinn Cook will be expected to shoulder the burden of making up for Rondo’s missed minutes until the Kentucky alum is able to return to the floor.
The Lakers, currently on track to be the #1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, will hope that Rondo is able to return and contribute to a potential title run after the NBA’s return.
