With tonight’s preseason game against the Sacramento Kings an interesting what-if question comes to mind for Lakers fans, did the Lakers make a mistake by not signing Rajon Rondo?
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Everyone heard the rumors over the last few years about Rondo joining forces with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles but when he finally reached free agency nobody made a move.
Rondo eventually reached a deal with the Sacramento Kings for one year.
There are a few reasons to wonder if the Lakers should have matched this offer — the biggest might be the Lakers’ depth, or lack thereof, at the point guard position.
The Lakers currently have three point guards on their preseason roster, but two have already missed time with injuries. Do fans really want to see the Lakers turn to Ronnie Price again?
The missing variable is Marcelo Huertas - Lakers have been weak at backup pg thus far this preseason - curious still to see what he is
— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) October 12, 2015
Every Lakers fan knows how hard this team has been hit with injuries over the last couple seasons, so a bit of extra depth never hurts.
Take a look at the Lakers’ point guard history over the past few seasons:
Kendall Marshall looked like a border line all-star with the numbers he put up for the Lakers two years ago because there was no depth around him. He was forced into the starting lineup and expected to play big minutes because there was honestly no other option.
Jordan Clarkson turned into hope for the Lakers’ future only because everyone in front of him went down with injury. Imagine what happens if that all plays out again this season. Having Rondo in the back court could have eased the minutes all around and helped to avoid injury.
Oct 8, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo (9) dribbles the ball against the San Antonio Spurs during the first quarter at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Additionally, Rondo’s bench presence would have provided great mentorship for the Lakers’ young guards.
Keep in mind that the three point guards on the roster have the combined experience of one NBA season. A veteran like Rondo would have helped show them the ropes.
While the Lakers believe that Bryant will mentor their young point guards, he is a career scorer at heart.
Kobe is a great player to teach the young guys how to win, but D’Angelo Russell still needs someone to show him the in and outs of running an NBA offense.
Rondo has made a career of fitting highlight passes into tight windows while on the way to finals appearances, the kind of passes Russell enjoys throwing.
Why sign Lou Williams for $21 million to challenge Nick Young when the Lakers could have signed Rondo to mentor Russell and Clarkson?
While a great mentor, Rondo shouldn’t be treated like some broken down old man in the locker room. He struggled with Dallas last season but so far in the preseason he has looked like his old self.
Rondo might have been pushed to start if he joined the Lakers but that might not have been the worst idea.
Clarkson is already starting at shooting guard and the idea of bringing D’Angelo Russell off the bench is intriguing. All three could have seen decent minutes in the two guard spots and with Rondo handling point, fans could be more patient with Russell’s development.
Then again maybe him signing with the Kings will work out for LA in the end.
Really excited for Rondo to mentor Boogie on how to force your way off a team that you're unhappy with.
— Potential Knicks GM (@FormerNBAcoach) July 3, 2015
All this is mere speculation since Rondo will be starting against the Lakers tonight in Las Vegas, but it’s something worth wondering about this season.
What happens if one of the Lakers guards gets hurt, like in years past? Was passing on Rondo the Lakers biggest mistake of the offseason?
Let us know what you think in the comments below.