4.) Playoff and Crunch Time Experience
Perhaps the most important aspect that Rajon Rondo brings to this Lakers team is his playoff experience. With the Lakers almost certainly set to make the playoffs this year barring some unforeseen circumstance, playoff experience is going to be short supply. Rondo is one of the few players on this Lakers roster who has had extensive experience in deep playoff runs.
Playoff basketball is a completely different beast than the regular season, and it’s entirely plausible for the young guns to get the deer in the headlights when they enter the postseason.
Having guys on the floor who have been there before are invaluable, and provide a steady option should Lonzo, Kuzma, or Ingram shrink in the moment.
Not only does Rondo have playoff experience, but he also has plenty of experience in crunch time situations, which will prove to be useful for those close regular season games.
In an incredibly competitive Western Conference, where the difference between securing home-court advantage or not will come down to a handful of games, every win is going to count.