Rajon Rondo is still working his way back for the Los Angeles Lakers after sitting out of the 2019-20 NBA season opener against the Los Angeles Clippers with a sore calf.
Among the notable factors in the 112-102 loss was the lack of a true point guard running the offense. Although the initial plan was for LeBron James to fill in, it appears there will be some changes once Rondo makes his return.
Regardless, there is still plenty of speculation regarding Rondo’s role in the offense and whether or not he will start or come off the bench. It appears he may not even have a preference.
Rondo says he will take on any role that head coach Frank Vogel envisions for him to start the new season.
“My preference is what Coach Vogel wants me to do… I’ll be cool with that,” Rondo said.
It is undoubtedly encouraging to see Rondo is willing to do whatever he can to help the team. His leadership and selflessness are part of why the Lakers were intent on bringing him back during the 2019 NBA offseason.
While Rondo is open to coming off the bench, it is safe to assume that he may be thrust into the starting lineup as soon as he is healthy enough to play given how the Lakers fared with James as the ringleader against the Clippers when they shot a mere 43.5 percent from the floor with just 20 assists and 14 turnovers.
He will now be tasked with helping to utilize the current talent on this roster to its full potential.
Rondo’s familiarity with playing alongside both James and Anthony Davis could pay huge dividends in their efforts to get on the same page.
The veteran’s willingness to take on any role will also go a long way for Vogel when it comes to experimenting with different lineups moving forward.
