Los Angeles Lakers: 5 Reasons Rajon Rondo should be re-signed
By Robert Marvi
5. He’s still a pretty good player
Rondo is still a gamer. He’s still a very good passer, skilled at finishing around the basket, a nice floor general and a very smart player.
In about 30 minutes per game this season, he averaged 9.2 points, 8.0 assists and 5.3 rebounds. On a team that struggled mightily from 3-point range, he shot 35.9 percent from out there, which ranked second on the team among players who were in the lineup for at least half of the season. Interesting enough, first in that category was Lance Stephenson (who would’ve thunk it?).
He had his moments this season, such as the Christmas Day game in Oakland when the Warriors cut the Lakers’ 19-point lead to two before Rondo got the team stabilized and contributed in a huge way to a 26-point win. And who can forget his improbable game-winning shot in the Boston Garden right before the All-Star break against his old team?
The Lakers need some wily veterans who can teach the young guys how to win in crucial moments and how to handle difficult situations. Rondo is one of those veterans.
He won a world championship with the Celtics in 2008 as they overcame a 24-point deficit in Game 4 of that year’s NBA Finals. In Game 7 of the 2010 championship series, his Celtics choked away a 13-point lead in the second half, so he has that experience on both sides.
Rondo recently told the media that he realized how Kobe Bryant figured out how to lead the Lakers to a comeback win in that game. That’s the wisdom and basketball IQ he can bring to the table.
Remember how in last year’s NBA Finals LeBron James talked about wanting to play with teammates who had a high basketball IQ, and how that’s integral to winning a title?