Lakers Rumors: Los Angeles should stay away from Rajon Rondo

After a disappointing injury following a dominant playoff performance, Rajon Rondo finds himself amidst the latest Lakers rumors.

Ah, it is officially time for NBA free agency, causing a slew of rumors throughout the league. Some notable resignings have happened, such as Blake Griffin shocking the world and Steph Curry finally getting his payday. The Lakers, on the other hand, have been busy with other business, with the latest Lakers rumors reporting that the team and Rajon Rondo have mutual interest.

As you may or may not know, Rondo was a member of the rival Boston Celtics in the beginning of his career. The first eight years of Rondo’s career were spent in Boston, in which he earned four consecutive All-Star honors.

In fact, Rondo was a great point guard for Boston. He averaged 11.0 points, 8.5 assists, and 1.9 steals per game while being a key member of the 2008 championship team.

In the two and a half seasons that Rondo has played since his departure from Boston, he has played for three different teams. The Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, and Chicago Bulls have all utilized Rondo’s playmaking ability. This same playmaking ability netted Rondo a one-year, $14 million contract with the Chicago Bulls last season.

Additionally, this is the same playmaking ability that has netted the Lakers attention. Los Angeles is fairly thin at guard and could use one more player to eat minutes either behind Lonzo Ball or Jordan Clarkson. Rondo seems to fit that well, and on the surface, fits it quite nice.

What Rondo’s asking price is may be hard to nail. Last season wasn’t necessarily a great one for Rondo, however, his near triple-double in game two of the Bulls first-round series against the Celtics showed he can still perform on the biggest stage. This makes it hard to pin the meter on his value, but it is likely somewhere around eight million.

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Plus, if the Lakers do want to sign Rondo it should be for no more than one year. Sure, a two-year deal is possible, but only with a team option after next season. Los Angeles needs cap room for a star, and cannot waste that money on Rajon Rondo.

In fact, the team should stay away from Rondo altogether. While his playmaking ability can be tempting, Los Angeles has far better options to fit onto their bench.

First and foremost, his production in Chicago took a massive hit. Sure, he was hurt and it can be attributed to one bad season, but his numbers alongside Dwayne Wade and Jimmy Butler were staggering. There is no reason why he only averaged 6.7 assists per game.

Second, the Lakers already have a playmaking point guard in the starting lineup with Lonzo Ball. Los Angeles needs scoring off the bench, and quite frankly, would benefit more from a scoring point guard behind Ball. Especially with limited options in the second unit, this is immensely important.

Somebody like Darren Collison would be perfect for Los Angeles. Collison is a score first point guard, averaging as much as 14.0 points per game off the bench. If the Lakers can get anywhere near that mark, it would be a huge win.

Next: Lakers need to resign Tyler Ennis

Overall, Los Angeles should not waste their time on Rajon Rondo and the Lakers rumors that surround him. Rondo is only getting older, and realistically, is not what the Lakers need off the bench.