Rajon Rondo will be the Los Angeles Lakers' starting point guard when the regular season kicks off a month from now, as second-year PG Lonzo Ball continues to recover from surgery on his left knee. Lakers coach Luke Walton told ESPN the team's decision to start Rondo was made as a cautionary approach to Ball's recovery.
Ball, who turns 21 next month, underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his torn meniscus in July and was expected to make a full recovery by the start of training camp, but he has not yet been cleared to play in 5-on-5 games. As a result, the Lakers are taking the safe route and giving Ball's starting minutes to the 32-year old veteran.
During yesterday's Media Day, Ball spoke about his recovery, as well as his improved jumper.
"Everybody is saying my jump shot [is] this new thing," Ball said Monday (H/T ESPN). "To me, it is not really changed a lot. I just think I got a lot stronger. So I ain't got to really fling the ball like I did last year. [The set point] moved a little bit more to the middle but it is still on the left side. But just trying to focus on my mechanics, keeping my hand up, keeping my elbow in more and just me being stronger, my upper body, it's just easier for me to get to the rim."
In his rookie season, Lonzo shot just 36% from the field and 30.5% from behind the arc, while struggling to connect on just 45.1% of his free throws.
The Lakers will open their season with a road game against the Portland Trail Blazers on October 18, followed by their home-opener against the Houston Rockets on the 20th.