Before the Los Angeles Lakers headed to the NBA bubble in Orlando, the team had to address a void in the backcourt left by veteran guard, Avery Bradley. The 29-year-old journeyman decided to opt-out of the NBA restart due to family concerns forcing the team to act fast to find a viable replacement.
Fortunately, the Lakers did act quickly and were able to fill the void with the addition of a one-time NBA champion, JR Smith. The team also brought in guard Dion Waiters before the season was suspended in March, giving them a bit more depth in the backcourt.
Although the additions of Smith and Waiters will certainly help the Lakers moving forward, the storied franchise has already suffered a significant injury, only two practices into their time in the bubble. Rajon Rondo went down with a fracture to his right thumb, which will require surgery and will keep him out at least six to eight weeks.
This is a costly blow for the Lakers. Rondo may not be the same player of old and hadn't had the best year up to this point, but he provided the team with another vocal leader with championship experience and perhaps most notably, a reliable ball-handler in the backcourt that could take the pressure off LeBron James.
With Rondo now out for potentially two months or more, the Lakers are in a bind once again in the backcourt. LeBron may have flourished as the primary ball-handler this season averaging a career and league-high 10.6 assists per game, but he can't be asked to shoulder the load entirely now that the arguably second-best ball handler and passer on the team, Rondo, is out for a considerable amount of time.
The attention now shifts to the guards on the team that might be able to step up with Rondo now on the mend. Although Quinn Cook can handle the ball and Waiters may also be able to bring the ball up on occasion, but it will be Alex Caruso, who the team should look to fill Rondo's shoes moving forward.
Prior to the team signing Smith following Bradley's decision, Caruso talked about potentially being the guy to replace Bradley in the starting lineup and take on a bigger role.
“As far as basketball goes, got to fill his role,” Caruso said. “Might not be one person, but this team has done a great job all year when guys have been out. Stepping up and filling a role…I’m not sure if I’m going to be the sole provider of everything that Avery did. That’s a lot to ask for because of how good he is at what he does, but I’m definitely going to be ready to fill part of that gap and that need.”
With Rondo now on the shelf, Caruso is the obvious choice to handle more of the ball-handling duties, and it could be a blessing in disguise for a couple of reasons.
One, Rondo only started three games this season and averaged career-low in points (7.1) while dishing out his second-lowest totals in assists per game (5.0). He also was playing the lowest number of minutes of his career at 20.5, which is exactly three minutes less per game in comparison to his rookie season with the Boston Celtics at 23.5. The Lakers coaching staff seemed to be gradually going in a different direction at point guard, especially with LeBron taking on a different role.
Secondly, few players on this Lakers squad work as well playing alongside James as Caruso. LeBron made that abundantly clear after a game against the Memphis Grizzlies back in February when their on-court chemistry was at an all-time high.
“Just playing the game the right way,” LeBron said of his connection with Caruso on the floor. “Very cerebral basketball players. We’re making winning plays, both of us. We work well together, and every minute we’re on the floor, we’re just trying to make it productive, trying to be in the plus and not the minus. It’s a great combination for our ball club.”
Along with having that chemistry with LeBron, Caruso brings more to the table in comparison to Rondo. He's a better shooter from the floor, beyond the arc, and the free-throw line. He's younger with a lot more to prove as a player that hasn't inked his first lucrative long-term deal yet, and he's nowhere near as injury-prone as the former Celtics star.
The only edge I would give Rondo is playoff and championship experience. Rondo already has a title to his credit and is a battle-tested veteran in the postseason. However, that doesn't mean as much if he can't stay healthy and on the floor.
It will be Caruso's time to shine over the next few months in the NBA bubble, and the Lakers will need him to take his game to another level. By all indications, he's up for the challenge and will embrace the added responsibility, but it remains to be seen whether he can come through for Los Angeles and truly make a name for himself with the ideal opportunity he's been given.
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