Rajon Rondo
Some folks love Rajon Rondo, others hate him. A few members of the media adore Rondo so much, they’ve stated on national TV that he should start next season at point guard for the Lakers.
That opinion is crazy. An in-his-prime Rajon Rondo wouldn’t even start for this version of the Lakers, let alone Rondo in his current older form. It makes no sense to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis with Rajon Rondo, a non-shooter at point guard and JaVale McGee another inept shooting player at center. If Rondo and McGee play together, it will allow teams to clog the middle against LBJ and AD, making life miserable for the LA’s new fantastic duo.
Additionally, Rajon hasn’t tried on defense in years. It’s hard to imagine a defensive-minded coach like Frank Vogel playing such an awful ball hawk more than garbage time minutes next season.
Unless Avery Bradley shows up to Frank Vogel’s preseason mini camp 20 pounds’ overweight or injured, he’s going to start next year for the Purple and Gold at point guard. He’s a veteran who can initiate the offense, play good defense, and shoot the ball from deep.
Alex Caruso is the Lakers most likely backup point guard because, at 6’5″, he has the length that Frank Vogel covets on defense, plus in today’s shooting crazed NBA, Alex can help spread the floor with his much improved 3-point stroke (he shot 48% from distance last season).
Quinn Cook should be the Lakers 3rd string point guard because he’s better defensively than Rondo and he can light it up from beyond the arc.
Next season, Rondo will be fourth on the Lakers point guard depth chart.
Perhaps you think this is harsh. Maybe you believe that the Lakers need Rondo’s playmaking ability. The guy did average eight assists per game last season, right?
Rajon indeed racked up a high number of assists last year, but his passes weren’t generated out of the type of play’s that the best guards utilize and that create true havoc on offense, such as pick and rolls and drive and kicks. Rajon Rondo isn’t even a decent pick roll initiator, and when he drives into the lane, he doesn’t collapse opposing defenses, so he rarely hits open teammates on drive kick plays.
Instead, Rondo notches assists by standing at the top of the key and hitting cutters slashing to the rim or by passing to shooters off of curls or screens.
Avery Bradley, Alex Caruso, and even Anthony Davis are better than Rondo out of isolation sets and pick and rolls, so the Lakers don’t need his brand of passing.
As the year progresses and veteran players such as Andre Iguodala get bought out by their respective teams, Rob Pelinka will have no choice, but to cut Rajon Rondo, the Lakers 4th string point guard, to make room on the squad for a more useful option.
Prediction:
Rajon Rondo will get cut close to the trade deadline.