AD is why Kuz isnt performing as a 3rd Option

[Pythagoras]

Lol get out of here with Rondo assists, there's nothing more overrated than his assists per game. When you watch him he also miss so many opportunities. He's a terrible player.

Yeah, the Rondo experiment is long past it’s expiration date.

[thebigbird]

It isn't Rondo. Rondo hasn't played in 15 games this year and the problem still persisted in those games.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat had the same issue when LeBron went out.

For example, on the 2012-13 Miami Heat (66-16 Champs) when LeBron came out his team was -2.1. He was the only player where the team went negative when he sat.

Look at the 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers (57-25 Champs) when LeBron came out his team was -4.3. Again, LeBron was the only player where the team went negative when he sat.

That's the same situation as the Lakers this year.

Kuzma hit the nail on the head when he said, "You can't next-man-up LeBron." LBJ does too much, is responsible for so much, and covers so much ground on his own that when he's out your team will take a big hit regardless.

It 100% is Rondo. He has the worst on/off of any Laker not on a two-way contract. They're going to struggle with Lebron off the court regardless, but that problem is exaggerated when your backup pg belongs in China. It wouldn't be as bad if Cook/Caruso were running backup pg, but for whatever reason Vogel insists on playing Rondo 20+ minutes a night to the detriment of the team. Last night Rondo was a -7 in an 11 point win. Caruso was a +23. Same thing against Denver. Rondo was a -5, Caruso was a +23.

Still wrong. Look at LeBron in Miami and Cleveland again.

Miami was -2.1 without LeBron.
Cleveland was -4.3 without LeBron.
The Lakers are only -0.4 without LeBron.

That's great considering they don't turn to Dwyane Wade or Kyrie Irving for ball handling when LeBron is not playing. They turn to Rondo.

In that role Rondo is top 6 in the NBA in assists per 36 minutes, right at the top with LeBron, Doncic, Trae Young and Ricky Rubio.

In that role Rondo is the third most productive offensive player on the team after LeBron and Anthony Davis.

Points Per Game (Scoring + Assist Points Created):

1. LeBron: 51.9 (25.1+26.8)
2. AD: 35.1 (26.7+8.4)
3. RONDO: 21.5 (7.7+13.8) <---- insanely underrated/entirely unappreciated
4. Kuzma: 15.9 (12.5+3.4)
5. KCP: 13.9 (9.6+4.3)
6. Green: 11.7 (8.5+3.2)
7. Bradley: 11.4 (8.7+2.7)
8. Caruso: 9.6 (5.5+4.1)
9. Howard: 9.3 (7.7+1.6)
10. McGee: 8.5 (7.0+1.5)

(Last night Rondo accounted for 17 points while Caruso accounted for 11 points.)

The Lakers are the top team in the West and a top 5 offense and top 5 defense in part because of Rondo's quarterbacking, orchestrating, producing and teaching as the team's only other coach-on-the-floor after LeBron.

Frank Vogel prefers point guards like Rondo:

I’ve always wanted to coach [Rondo] specifically but I’ve always asked for guys like him in regards to my point guards — guys that can really quarterback the action out there on the floor and be a coach on the floor, and he’s one of the best to ever do it.

-Cook/Caruso are not coach-on-the-floor style point guards.
-Cook/Caruso do not have the experience or intelligence to be coach-on-the-floor point guards.
-Caruso is a shooting guard and Cook is a shoot-first point guard.
-Rondo and LeBron are both considered extremely high IQ basketball savants with photographic memories.
-Cook/Caruso are not considered extremely high IQ basketball savants with photographic memories.
-Cook/Caruso do not have the ability to back up LeBron at point guard.
-Cook/Caruso cannot do Rondo's and LeBron's job as coach-on-the-floor.

Looooooool. Hoooo boy. Are you legitimately trying to use assists as your main argument in favor of Rondo? Cmon dude, that statistic is next to meaningless, especially for a ball stopping assist hunter like Rondo. His assist totals don't count the number of open players he consistently misses, or the complete lack of defense from him. If you're trying to argue that Rondo isn't the reason for the collapse, the Lakers' rating when Lebron is off the court is meaningless. You'd have to find their rating with Rondo on and LeBron off. Rondo has the worst on/off rating of any player on the Laker at -7.1. The AD/Rondo lineup is absolutely terrible, a -8.5 in 384 minutes.

Your argument is incredibly weak. You rely on... *checks notes* assists per 36 and platitudes like "coach on the floor" and "high iq basketball savant with photographic memory." Lol

"Last night rondo accounted for 17 points while Caruso accounted for 11 points." Guess what, Caruso had a +47.9 net rating in 23 minutes while Rondo had a -26.8 net rating in 16 minutes. How many points rondo "accounted for" is next to meaningless. The team was absolutely terrible when he was on the court, as they have been the entire season. I can't believe you legitimately believe Rondo is a reason why they have a top 5 offense, and especially a top 5 defense, when he's been absolutely terrible this season and a big reason why the offense and defense isn't better than it actually is.