Rajon Rondo
Whether Lakers fans care to admit it or not, Rajon Rondo will be an important player for the Lakers come playoff time.
Simply put, the Lakers do not have a glut of playmakers on their roster. With LeBron James being the main playmaker, as soon as he is off the floor, the Lakers might struggle to move the ball around. That is where Rondo comes in.
Rondo’s best chance of making a significant impact on the Lakers roster is to be the primary ball-handler for the 2nd unit.
While LeBron is off the floor, the Lakers should try and get Davis and Rondo minutes together, due to their familiarity having played in New Orleans together.
Defensively, Rondo for the last number of years has been a non-factor. This can be attributed to him not being on a contender and him simply zoning out and focusing on the other end of the floor.
It will be extremely interesting to see if Rondo can get back to being a defensive menace. His current teammate and former Celtics Avery Bradley got back some of his defensive ability and here is hoping Rajon can do the same.
Championship experience is key going into a playoff push. Knowing what it takes to get to the top, knowing how to grind out hard victories and showing up in pivotal moments to make the big play.
While Rondo can be frustrating, you can’t say he hasn’t shown up when the lights were the brightest.
This trait will be very valuable in the playoffs and having players you can trust will be invaluable to Frank Vogel.
If there is any of the old Rajon Rondo left, this season will show whether he can still step up.