Rajon Rondo is expected to make his LA Clippers debut against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, according to coach Ty Lue.
The Clippers acquired Rondo from Atlanta in a deal involving Lou Williams on the March 25 deadline.
Both teams are without key players. The Lakers are without LeBron James and Anthony Davis due to injuries. And Lue did not think point guard Patrick Beverley (knee) could return and join Rondo on the floor. Beverley has missed the last 11 games due to injury. Starting center Serge Ibaka has also been out for the past ten games with a back injury.
Rondo won a championship with the Lakers last season and will now compete with the Clippers in the Los Angeles competition.
“It’s different,” Rondo said when he recently played for the Clippers in the rivalry in an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. “It’s a rivalry here in Los Angeles. But for the most part, I’ve got a bunch of ‘welcome backs. It’s different than going back to LA to be a champion.’
Hindered by an adductor injury, Rondo worked throughout to learn the Clippers’ playbook while resting.
“Just to stop him, just to see what he picks up,” Lue said of what he hopes to see from Rondo. “It’s easy to go through plays in practice, but then you got a game on the fly, it’s a little different. And I know how smart he is. Just to see what he picks up and just to “See what we can incorporate while he’s in the game and just try to get out of there. It’s going to be good to see him get on the floor.”