Los Angeles Lakers: 5 Players who will be X-Factors

1. Rajon Rondo

This was a somewhat controversial resigning. Once an elite defender, Rondo’s best days in that department are clearly behind him, which has caused some Lakers fans to dislike him.

However, what’s also clear is that Rondo is still a high-level ball-handler, floor general and playmaker. Despite missing time due to two separate injuries, he averaged 8.0 assists and even grabbed 5.3 rebounds per game this past season.

The Lakers may have five players who have won a world championship in the past, but other than James, Rondo is the one man in that group who can make a profound impact thanks to that experience. If he plays the majority of his minutes with the bench unit, he can stabilize that crew and make sure they make a positive impact on the court.

Of course, having Rondo out there in crunch time will also be invaluable, as he proved in their Christmas Day blowout win over Golden State, and their thrilling last-second victory in Boston Garden.

Rondo can also give James a bit of a respite in terms of pushing the pace, getting the team into their set offense when they don’t have anything and getting the ball to the right guy at the right time.

Although he only shoots the ball if it’s an absolute necessity, Rondo can score, finish well at the rim and even hit the 3-ball. After being a poor 3-point shooter for most of his career, he has become a decent marksman in recent seasons, as he made 35.9 percent of his treys in 2018-19.