23. Rajon Rondo, Sacramento Kings (Unrestricted)
It doesn’t get too much more enigmatic in the NBA than Rajon Rondo. Essentially from the moment that he joined the Boston Celtics as a rookie out of Kentucky, the point guard has been reeling off one eccentricity after another. Though it seemed like his career might be over after a failed stint with the Dallas Mavericks in the 2014-15 season, Rondo really turned the narrative around this past season, though, as he showed a ton of promise and a bit of rejuvenation for the Sacramento Kings.
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Obviously age has robbed Rondo—to a large degree at least—of what was once one of his biggest strengths in regards to his defense. While a younger Rondo was a pest on the perimeter that could create steals seemingly at will, he’s not the same athlete or player that’s able to make those plays anymore. However, he’s still a player that can create and facilitate better than most and he showed more willingness to score in Sacramento than he had in recent years.
As far as the Lakers go, though, this is a firm stay-away for them. Not only do they already have D’Angelo Russel on the roster and don’t need any players coming in to further complicate things, but Rondo is also the type of enigma that they don’t need as they try to establish a positive culture in a post-Kobe era. If I’m the Lakers, Rondo’s not even getting a call even with the resurgence he had this past season.
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