Former NBA Champion and ESPN Analyst Kendrick Perkins believes that the Los Angeles Lakers rotation will perform well, despite the recent injury to Rajon Rondo. Rondo and Perkins were teammates on the 2008 Celtics Championship team. Rondo will be out for 8 weeks with a thumb fracture. This injury further weakens the LA Lakers, as Avery Bradley opted out of the bubble to be with his family.

Kendrick Perkins tweeted in support of backup Lakers guards like Alex Caruso and Quinn Cook.

Can The Los Angeles Lakers Perform Despite Injuries?

The team was criticized in February for not adding a backup guard. Even though they picked up Dion Waiters, they have lacked primary ball handlers outside LeBron James. The only player that can play point for the team outside LBJ is Quinn Cook.  Rondo and Bradley were primary ball-handlers, but the Lakers will have Rondo back by the second round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, the team will rely on their strength in size and use LeBron’s elite passing ability to dominate opponents.

Alex Caruso provides firepower for the Lakers off the bench. His explosive drives to the rim cannot be stopped by most other guards in the league, and he is also a reliable defender. Quinn Cook is a floor spacer on a team with a desperate need for shooters. While his defense and shot efficiency have been questioned, he is a proven playoff performer with the Golden State Warriors. Dion Waiters had a bad start to the season when he was cut by the Miami Heat. However, the Lakers signed him and he is expected to be a good perimeter defender on the backup unit for the team.

The Lakers can make it through the 8-game season and the first round without Rondo. The team will not be playing to win, but to get in the rhythm of the game again. Their first-round playoff matchup should be relatively easy, but they will need Rondo to return for the second round.