The Los Angeles Lakers have made some bold moves already this offseason, most notably, trading away D’Angelo Russell and drafting Lonzo Ball. Now they are looking for depth in the backcourt. Do they go with a veteran or a prospect with the potential of a high upside?
After selecting Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers finally seem to be looking at a brighter future. We all know the rumors about Paul George wanting to come home to play for the Lakers next summer when he hits free-agency. There are even rumors of LeBron coming to the storied franchise to help hang their 17th banner. But this summer, right now, they need a backup point guard on a team-friendly deal.
The Lakers will probably only be offering one-year contracts, in order to preserve cap space for what they expect to be a big summer in 2018. There are 2 very different players they could look to in order to fill the void in the backcourt.
Rajon Rondo
We know Rondo. The Lakers faced Rondo and the Celtics in the NBA Finals in both 2008 and 2010. Many fans remember Rondo’s pick-pocket steal from behind that helped the Celtics win the title in Game 6 in 2008. In 2010, the Lakers got their sweet Finals victory over Boston. It was the championship that Kobe Bryant was most proud of out of his five titles, and was an amazing new chapter in the decades-long rivalry between the two teams.
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But, now the Lakers are in a very different phase, and bringing Rondo on board could be a solid veteran presence on a very young team. After leading the league in assists for 2 seasons, he certainly knows a thing of two he can show Lonzo. Rondo has had well-documented problems with coaches and is well past his prime. But Rondo was a beast and has a lot of playoff experience. The Lakers trying him out for one year definitely wouldn’t hurt.
Could fans look past the Boston days and accept Rondo as a part of the Lakers? I think they could if he can help. Although he may have clashed with coaches, his teammates have always had much respect for the man. So did rapper Lil’ Wayne, who mentioned Rondo in one of his songs. If Lil’ Wayne drops a name in a song, it’s usually a very good player.
Tyler Ennis
Ennis was somewhat of a diamond in the rough down the stretch of last season. The Houston Rockets traded him to the Lakers for Marcelo Huertas, who they immediately waived. After Ennis showed some serious potential, I remember the commentators saying “The Rockets must be saying to themselves…we had this guy?” He was looking like a star when the Lakers had their five-game streak of wins as the season drew to a close. It was really the first time he was given a decent amount of minutes to show what he was capable of. My first thought was, “We have GOT to keep this guy next year.” It would certainly be a risk, as his very solid numbers come from a very small sample size in his time with the Lakers. But if Ennis could continue that kind of play next season, he’d definitely be worth keeping around.
So it comes down to it: Veteran with Finals experience who has proven himself years ago, or, a young prospect who could turn into something special. Again, it’s a small sample size, but Tyler Ennis had 19 points in a late season victory over the San Antonio Spurs and followed it up with 20 points in a win over the Timberwolves. Those were both career-highs in points for him, which suggests he fits into coach Luke Walton’s system. Rondo, on the other hand, is past his prime but has much, much more valuable experience in the NBA. With many playoff battles under his belt, he could mentor the young players, while Ennis could grow alongside them.
The Post-Kobe era is certainly getting interesting, and the Lakers front office and coaching staff will do everything in their power to make Los Angeles look like an attractive destination for big name free-agents next summer.
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Who do you guys think? Should they try out Ennis for another year? Or should they bring in one of their old rivals who almost looked like his old self in his few playoff games this year? Let us know in the comments below!