Rajon Rondo Will Make 1 Immediate Impact on the LA Clippers

It’s starting to sound like there’s a chance Rajon Rondo could play when the LA Clippers take on the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. While there have been questions about how exactly Rondo will fit on the Clippers’ rotation, he can certainly make one immediate contribution.

When we talked about the three biggest problems facing the LA Clippers, two of the three problems weren’t even system or personnel related; they were just health and fatigue! Our guys are tired, and they’re getting banged up.

Rajon Rondo’s minutes will be an immediate positive impact on the LA Clippers.

No official word has come out yet on his availability against the Lakers, but when Rajon Rondo appeared on The Jump with Rachel Nichols, there were certainly some leading questions that sounded like he might be playing (I’ll let you judge for yourself though!) Law Murray, the LA Clippers writer for The Athletic, also put out an encouraging (if cryptic) Tweet:

Again, nothing certain, but at least it sounds like there’s movement in the positive direction.

Sure, not everybody was thrilled when the LA Clippers traded Lou Williams for Rajon Rondo. There’s warts to his game, and we’re not getting the Rondo that played for the Celtics. But if he plays, the LA Clippers are, at the very least, getting a guy who can soak up some minutes.

Just having another player who can see the floor and give our guys a rest is going to be a huge help. When the LA Clippers face the Lakers, that will be their 7th game in 12 nights. Even our young guys are feeling the strain.

Rajon Rondo will give the LA Clippers another guard in the rotation, and bumping the rotation from 8 to 9 is a huge step. But even when Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are still on the floor, Rondo can give them some relief.

If the LA Clippers want to run a few of those possessions where Rajon Rondo dribbles the air out of the ball for 18 seconds? As long as that’s not jeopardizing the result of the game, those are on-court possessions where our other guys aren’t going at 100%.

Those possessions won’t look fun when we’re watching them, and it may be frustrating to see a few of those go nowhere, but if it gives Kawhi or PG or Pat Bev a little 15-20 second chance to catch their breath, they’re worth it.

There will certainly be hiccups while the LA Clippers figure out how to incorporate Rajon Rondo into the lineup and offense, but in the meantime, just having another set of fresh legs out there might be all the help we need in the short term.