2. LeBron Requested to play with playmakers
One of LeBron James‘ major concerns while playing with the Cavaliers this past season was that he was carrying too much of the offensive workload.
His usage rate was through the roof because he was the primary ball handler for the offense. He continuously asked the Cavs front office to add playmakers, but their roster mainly consisted of spot-up shooters who could not create their own shot.
The Lakers decided to go a different route. They are trying to surround LeBron with guys who can make plays for him and also be tough on the defensive side of the ball. Rondo fits those characteristics perhaps better than any other free agent on the market in 2018.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburn recently reported that LeBron signed off on all the Lakers free agent acquisitions after him, including Rondo.
Rondo was sixth in the league in assists last season, and the only free agent that was ahead of him on the list was LeBron. The Lakers offensive philosophy is predicated on sharing the basketball, so those two additions should fit perfectly in Walton’s system.
In the playoffs last season Rondo looked like his old self, he played solid defense on Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum and was a driving force behind the Pelicans first-round victory. Hopefully, that performance carries over into this season and his playmaking ability can help the Lakers win playoff games next season.