Recent Lakers rumors have been about free agency. Do they have their eyes set on point guard Rajon Rondo?
Even though the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t expected to be big players in free agency this offseason, there have still been some Lakers rumors about who they will sign.
With their roster close to being set, the Lakers likely won’t be adding more than a player or two. On of the interesting names that have recently been linked to the Lakers has been point guard Rajon Rondo.
According to Brad Turner, the Lakers and Rondo have a mutual interest.
Lakers and Rajon Rondo have mutual interest, source said. Rondo's rep made initial contact with Lakers Friday night. No deal in place.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) July 3, 2017
Even though Rondo is a surprising name to be linked to the Lakers, he does check a few boxes for what the Lakers are looking for. Despite drafting Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick, the Lakers could use another point guard on the roster. Also, it appears that Rondo is fine with taking a one-year deal.
Rondo gauging interest from other teams. Lakers let it be known they are offering just one-year deals.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) July 3, 2017
Lakers seen Rondo being a good mentor for rookie Lonzo Ball.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) July 3, 2017
After trading D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov, the Lakers set themselves up nicely with cap space for next season. They certainly don’t appear to be willing to give anything more than a one-year deal to any player this offseason.
Even though Rondo might not be the player he once was, he is still capable of playing a sizeable role for a team. With the Chicago Bulls last season, Rondo averaged 7.8 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.1 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game. In the playoffs, Rondo was helping lead the Bulls toward a series win against the Boston Celtics before getting injured. If Rondo wasn’t injured in that series, the Bulls very well could have defeated the Celtics.
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As a true floor general, Rondo could be a good mentor for Ball. Even though Rondo has had some issues in his NBA career, he has matured in recent years and could be a good player for Ball to learn from. While nothing appears imminent, Rondo is a name to keep an eye on, as there appears to be interest from both sides.