The New Orleans Pelicans made the wise call to avoid former Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham in the search for their new bench boss, opting to hire recently-fired Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley instead. That was the main Lakers storyline in connection to the situation. However, there was another that is flying under the radar. One that has quietly opened a door for Los Angeles.
Apart from Ham, another notable name that was passed up in the coaching search for the Pelicans was former Lakers champion Rajon Rondo. Rondo was linked as one of the frontrunners in the race before Mosley's availability gave New Orleans an easier answer.
The former Lakers point guard has spent time on the coaching staff with the Milwaukee Bucks in recent seasons. Rondo's basketball IQ during his playing days consistently made him stand out as someone who fans thought would be an excellent head coach in the future.
That opportunity has yet to arrive following the Pelicans' decision to go elsewhere. Before an NBA team finally gives the 2020 champion an opportunity to be the leading man on a bench, the Lakers may want to explore the possibility of adding Rondo to the coaching staff in Los Angeles.
Rajon Rondo would be an excellent assistant to perfect a new model for the Lakers
Drafting and developing young talent has not been a strong suit of the Lakers over recent years. Since 2023, Bronny James stands out as the lone great value pick until Adou Thiero truly arrives on the scene in Los Angeles.
The Lakers need more success at not only landing on their draft picks, but making the most out of fine-tuning them as role players when the selection is not a slam dunk. That is where Rondo could come in as an assistant.
Austin Reaves serves as a prime example of Rondo's value.
LeBron James has gotten a ton of attention for his tutelage of Reaves over the years, and rightfully so. Reaves has praised the NBA legend for his role in helping him grow. However, Reaves also overlapped with Rondo as a player, citing him as another primary contributor to his success before.
When the Lakers star was featured on an edition of SLAM online, Reaves had plenty of praise for how much Rondo helped him.
AR said: "Everybody knows his IQ for the game. He studies the game unlike anybody else. ... We would have a game one night, and the next morning Rondo would ask me, Hey, what happened at 5:45 in the first quarter? And if I didn’t know, it wasn’t good."
Naturally, Reaves has blossomed into a star in the current day. That cannot all be credited toward Rondo's or James' impact. Even so, both played a role.
The Lakers should want to remember how Rondo helped Reaves during the offseason. With Doc Rivers — the man who brought his old point guard in as a coach for the Milwaukee Bucks — having been dismissed of his duties, there should be an opportunity for Los Angeles to get their guy.
If the Lakers need more evidence of Rondo's impact on player development, Ryan Rollins also credited him as being helpful of his breakout with the Bucks. At the very least, the former two-time champion stands out as a guard whisperer.
Rondo could play a pivotal role in leading the development of young talent for the Lakers. That would go a long way in helping solve the depth issues of the franchise.
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