One of the biggest accomplishments of this offseason for the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers was the signing of Rajon Rondo, who agreed to put a signature on a one-year, $2.6 million deal with the team after a successful buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies, via CBS Sports.
A great way to follow Rondo and the Lakers basketball results and final scores, game details, and fixtures, competition info with rankings along with many more data and stats calculated for the current basketball season.
The veteran point guard returns to the Lakers after averaging 8.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.0 steal in 94 games for Los Angeles from 2018-20 while helping the team win the 2020 NBA title. As Jacob Rude of Silver Screen and Roll noticed, Rondo’s role on the Lakers this upcoming season might be a little bit different:
“Rondo’s role on the 2021-22 Lakers will likely be vastly different than his role on the 2019-20 Lakers. There will still be moments that he sees the court, but it’s more likely his work will be done behind the scenes. While the Lakers have few young players on the roster, each of them is a guard in Malik Monk, Talen Horton-Tucker and Kendrick Nunn. Rondo’s reputation as a mentor is well-established.”
Speaking about the Lakers fans, we can be sure that the team’s fanbase will welcome him with open arms. Over the last weekend, fans have already given former NBA All-Star the warmest of welcomes in his return to the team. Rondo confessed that he nearly cried in his first preseason game back on the Lakers, via TMZ Sports:
“I almost cried again last night. It means everything. I was away for a year … came back and at the reception, I got last night, I had to try to focus on the game,” Rondo said while working at Taco AF in L.A. on Monday in honor of National Taco Day.
“The love I got, the attention from the crowd getting back in the game. It was amazing.”
Other blockbuster Lakers deal this offseason – adding star point guard Russell Westbrook who along with three Washington Wizards’ future second-round picks were sent to L.A. in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, and the draft rights to Isaiah Jackson.
Rajon Rondo and Russell Westbrook have a long-standing rivalry and the last their beef was in January when both players exchanged words throughout the game:
Following his landing on the Lakers and despite the fact that they will compete for the minutes on the court, Rondo showed nothing but respect for Russell Westbrook for the way he approached their matchups throughout the years, via Silver Screen and Roll:
“Russ and I, we’ve been competing for so long,” Rondo said. “He’s one of the best, ultimate competitors I’ve played within my career. I love competing against Russ. I know he’s going to bring it every night. I know he’s looking to destroy me. Likewise, I’m looking to destroy him.
“There’s no better feeling than to go out against someone that plays at a high level and is going to bring it.”
To sum up, if the 35-year-old veteran guard regains his Playoff Rondo form from the 2020 NBA Bubble he will definitely help the Los Angeles Lakers towards another championship.
Some stats, via NBA.com: Rondo appeared in 45 games (three starts) for the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers last season, where he averaged 5.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 17.1 minutes, while shooting 40.4 percent from three-point range.
A 15-year NBA veteran has played in 918 games (732 starts) for the L.A. Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, and L.A. Lakers, holding career averages of 10.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.6 steals in 30.4 minutes.
The two-time NBA Champion has also appeared in 134 playoff games (105 starts) for the Clippers, Pelicans, Bulls, Mavericks, Celtics, and Lakers, averaging 12.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.7 steals in 34.0 minutes per game.
