METAIRIE, LA – JULY 19: Rajon Rondo #9 of the New Orleans Pelicans poses for portraits on July 19, 2017 at the New Orleans Pelicans Practice Facility in Metairie, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
After being diagnosed with a sports hernia after Friday’s preseason game, Rondo gets corrective surgery.
New Orleans again finds themselves with a dearth of guards after Rondo’s surgery, which will sideline him for 4-6 weeks. Last season, the Pelicans formed the newest iteration of the twin towers by pairing DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis, but in the process lost most of their quality guards. This offseason they attempted to remedy that by signing Rajon Rondo in free agency.
Unfortunately, Rondo didn’t even make it to his first game with his new team before sustaining a major injury. In the first half of Friday’s preseason game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Rondo left with pain from a sports hernia which will now require surgery according to the Vertical.
Rondo was looking for a fresh start with the Pelicans after a tumultuous season with the Chicago Bulls last year. He finished with 7.8 points per game and 6.7 assists per game, both of which were his lowest since 2008, and had plenty of locker-room struggles. Conflicts with teammates and coaches, paired with his declining play, earned him a spot on the bench for much of the season last year. He did end on a high note, however, by playing extremely well in the first round of the playoffs and taking the first three games off the top-seeded Celtics before being injured and ending his season.
The Pelicans were excited to have Rondo on their roster, and planned to start him next to their star guard Jrue Holiday this season. Holiday typically plays the same position as Rondo, but New Orleans values his play enough to move things around to start the pair together.
Rondo’s fresh start will have to be delayed as he focuses on physical therapy and recovering from his injury. The Pelicans will be looking forward to his return as soon as possible.