Prior to the 2014-15 season, all eyes were on Rajon Rondo who was entering the final year of his contract with the Boston Celtics, but remaining tight lipped regarding his future. Rondo was listed as the best point guard available with many teams exploring trades for the All-Star. The Dallas Mavericks won out getting a mid-season deal for the star, but that experiment failed to succeed. With Rondo appearing like a bust this season, is that hurting free agency interest in him?
According to Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report, the Los Angeles Lakers are cooling on the idea of paying big money for Rondo in the offseason. The point guard still has an expiring contract to his name and is expected to leave the Dallas Mavericks following the roller coaster stint with the team. The Lakers were considered the frontrunners for Rondo. The Los Angeles Times was reporting that Kobe Bryant was recruiting the point guard, something Rondo confirmed to the media. However, all of the drama Rondo faced at the end of the season has the Lakers thinking otherwise.
Ding writes the Lakers want a foundational piece to build on and they are simply not positive that is Rondo anymore. Los Angeles will have upwards of $30 million to spend in free agency this offseason which means they can get key players in to push the franchise forward, but the jury is still out on whether or not that is Rondo.
It is unclear what kind of player Rondo is being viewed as. He did not play well in Dallas and he had major issues with the coaching staff that lead to public outbursts and getting benched in playoff games. His stock dropped, but not enough to make Rondo a minimum player. However, he is not being viewed as a maximum player either which has the point guard in limbo at the moment.
The Lakers have options at the point guard spot if Rondo no longer sits on their list. Los Angeles benefitted from the rise of Jordan Clarkson this season who is looking a total draft steal. With Steve Nash and Jeremy Lin out, Clarkson is capable of playing extended minutes for the Lakers. ESPN has reported Clarkson might be trade bait, but Los Angeles would be wise to keep him on for quality depth. Goran Dragic, Reggie Jackson or trades for players like Brandon Jennings or even Deron Williams might be options for Los Angeles over Rondo.
