JULY 6: The Lakers have officially signed Rondo, the team announced today in a press release.
“We are thrilled to have Rajon bring his off-the-charts basketball IQ to the Lakers,” Pelinka said in a statement. “He has a proven ability to play at an elite level during playoff and championship runs, and that is a highly valued skill. Rajon is also respected around the NBA as an extremely hard worker and relentless competitor and that mentality is key to how we want build our roster.”
JULY 2: The Lakers continue to make noise on the free agent market, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that Rajon Rondo has agreed to a deal to join the club. Rondo will sign a one-year, $9MM deal with the Lakers, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.
Playing last season on a one-year, $3.3MM deal in New Orleans, Rondo was an important part of the Pelicans’ lineup, averaging 8.3 PPG, 8.2 APG, and 4.0 RPG and serving as one of the club’s veteran leaders. He increased those rates to 10.3 PPG, 12.2 APG, and 7.6 RPG during an impressive playoff run.
Rondo will join a Lakers roster that’s set to look much different in 2018/19 than it did last season. The team is surrounding LeBron James with a fascinating collection of veterans that includes Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Lance Stephenson, and JaVale McGee.
Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that communication between James and the Lakers is “strong,” so it’s safe to assume that he’s on board with all the moves the team is making.
Shelburne adds (via Twitter) that LeBron told the Lakers he likes Lonzo Ball‘s game and is excited to play with him, but assuming Ball isn’t traded, he figures to compete for playing time with Rondo. A source tells Shelburne (Twitter link) that the best man will win the point guard job for the Lakers, who are in win-now mode.
Having renounced Julius Randle, the Lakers had a projected $13.83MM in cap room to accommodate the Rondo deal, which will take up $9MM in space. That will leave the Lakers with about $5.67MM for now. The team could get up to $16.29MM in cap room by waiving and stretching Luol Deng, so we’ll see if Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka have another big move up their sleeves.
As for the Pelicans, they had wanted to bring back Rondo even after reaching an agreement to sign point guard Elfrid Payton. According to Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), New Orleans made Rondo an offer, but the Lakers’ proposal was “significantly better.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
This whole LeBron-Javale-Rondo-Lance-Lavar/Lonzo thing is like the most amazing thing ever. Now Swaggy P needs to sign in LA.
Yes! Saggy PP
Noooooo
He’s different
Why do I care
Quietly I’m hoping the Lakers forget they need outside shooters.
Ever heard of Kuzma, Hart, Ingram?
“nope” – everyone that watches the NBA
Kuzma Haart and Ingram will be playing for the Spurs, remember?
Evidently, Magic has not!
Isnt this the most unbelieavably bizarre roster? Wtf? Maybe Magic is a genius, but from where I am sitting, it does not look that way.
When we sign TO we are set
Where does this leave Lonzo?
Traded for either Love or Leonard.
Wake up, not Love. No defense.
How loud do I have to say this?
Kawhi to the Lakers.
Why would the Spurs help make a rival like the Lakers a Super Team???? Leonard is not going to the Lakers. Not this year.
Because he is going to end up there eventually anyway. Better to get something rather than nothing especially if the reposts are true that Kawhi will sit out next year if the spurs don’t trade him.
Can Kawhi even technically sit out while accumulating service time? He would have to be cleared medically that he’s still not fit to play in order to do so I imagine. If he’s cleared to play and completely sits out, I’m sure the Spurs will make some argument and suspend him (which at the very least, could mean forfeiting his salary for next season). Kawhi sitting out, while being healthy, would also set a terribly bad precedent in the NBA and I’m sure Adam Silver would make some sort of call that either service time would not be accrued or essentially force Kawhi to play.
It’s happened before! Bill Walton sat out the 1978-79 season for Portland out of protest for, get this, not having his request to be traded due to citing “unethical and incompetent treatment regarding his and other players injuries”
The Lakers are not even close to a super team. They have lebron and then role players they wouldn’t even beat the 2017 Cavs in a 7 game series
Lonzo is injury prone. Need a back-up !
lol backup
Playoff rondo ! Lol
Great question. I think it’s more likely it’s for Kawahi
wow! I love how all these people have to join LeBron to do anything
Ummmmmmmmm……you want him to play all 5 positions? You think the GSW are staying pat?
So what should LeBron go 1-on-5? Should they sign a bunch of bums to fill out the roster? Oh no, the Lakers are using their cap space to sign good players, what ever shall we do? They should just make that illegal right? Better yet, they should just do away with free agency right?
Later Lonzo. Can the Lakers make trades with Lithuania? I think the Balls are banned there now too.
The anti Lonzo comments are getting pathetic. He is not his dad. He is pretty much the opposite. Reserved and quiet
You’re right. His dad apparently has a jumper
(Clap clap clap clap)……well done sir.
(Takes bow)
Lonzo is far from quiet, that’s just how he portrays himself to the media.
Releasing a diss track about a teammate is quiet nowadays hey
Guess players cant have any harmless fun.
I for one agree with Kenley
How come Mahic brought in a guy to compete for playing time with him..Last year Magic pointed to the retired jerseys and said he wanted to see Zo up there. Now he brings in a proven NBA point guard to take away his playing time. They paid 9 mill for Rondo not to sit on bench. Wake up and smell the coffee
Now this is getting fun watching as Magic and James know the Lakers are not any where near the top of the West. Interesting. Ball?
Wow
They gonna trade ball now, or have ball coming of the bench, or reversal. What is this trade mean???
Trade
Good back up for Ball, but I’d still prefer Randle
Rondo not signing to be a backup.
Rondo was 4th in the league in assists last year…he’s not backing up anyone
Wtf are the Lakers doing?
You didn’t see Rondo getting on Draymond Green’s nerves? They’re being built to take out the Warriors. JaVale McGee had an important role. Steal him.
JaVale had a very replaceable role, like Nick Young, on a team with so much talent around him
Sort of replaceable but it’s tough to find a 7-foot athletic guy like JaVale. 15 minutes a game he was amazing. Put backs block shots run the floor alley oops. Not that easy to replace, but I sort of agree with you.
When is the Liangelo Ball signing announcement from the Lakers?
When they announce the Terrell Owens signing …He is training hard to be a Laker. Magic missed on Boogie so he will pick up TO
Does this mean they cant sign Boogie…
doesn’t Cousins like to play with Rondo? Could be he wanted them to take Rondo before he would sign?
Boogie will sign a one-year deal to show that he’s healthy and get more money next summer. In the meantime he shows up in January ready to go and wreak havoc on the Warriors and the rockets.
Boogie likely won’t even be back until the end of December lol. He isn’t signing a 1-yr.
Doesn’t he have to prove he’s healthy? Who’s going to give him a four-year deal?
Uh, he did.
Lakers making a run at tyrieke and cousins according to woj. Seems like the kings team from a few years ago lol.
Ball/rondo/stevenson
Evans/kcp/hart
Ingram/kuzma
Lebron/wagner
Cousins/zubac/wagner
I think a trade is coming. Hart and kuzma to far back on the depth chart…
Well, looks like Cousins is staying in NO. Sucks to lose Rondo though
If Payton can get his act together, it might not be that much of a loss.
Where did you hear cousins is staying in New Orleans?
Cousins wants to come to the Lakers.
Why though? 9 mil for a position you have covered by younger, seemingly more talented players.
Younger? Sure. More talented? Highly debatable. Rondo has a bad attitude for the most part, but he is an excellent NBA point guard.
Playoff Rondo is a sight to see.
People a trade is coming!!!!!
Einstein.
Tell me the trade instead of a headline with no substance.
They might as well start a new league where teams get punished for building monopolies every other sport because every sport people don’t just go to a team just because someone else decided to go there
Ray Allen did it twice
Yankees have been doing it for a hundred years. Lakers and Celtics have been doing it for 60 years.
No chance Lonzo stays now, right? Lonzo to PHX for a future 1st.
Perhaps… either the Spurs want ball or whatever the Lakers can get for ball.
Don’t see this changing Ball’s role with the Lakers at all. Odd signing though, great player but don’t think it’s a great fit.
Lakers are doing what I wanted Cavs to do. Bron agrees. These are not the players Altman would approve of or get.
Good moves: Moving on from Randle (who is a horrible fit with LBJ). Setting yourself up to move Ball (an even worse fit with LBJ) for value by inking the best PG you’re going to get for 9 mm/1 year.
Rondo isn’t a LBJ friendly PG either, but at least he’s a vet with a championship pedigree, and can assist the leadership-challenged LBJ with giving the team veteran guidance.
Somewhat saw this one coming too. He gives them another defender at the PG spot, as I mentioned, and he has improved his jumpshot. Surrounded by shooters, this is a good spot for him, and it gives LeBron another guy with vision and a high basketball IQ. They also have added toughness, which I think was necessary. I think this will help Ball’s development, assuming they keep him
Now that they’ve renounced Randle, as I mentioned earlier, I think they’ll stretch Deng and try and get Cousins on a 1+1 to retain flexibility for next year
Rondo is going to be lethal with LeBron.
Improved his jump shot? His 3-point percentage was his worst in the last 4 years this year. He shoots 50% from the free throw line. I beg to differ.
You’re right about toughness you’re right about intelligence you’re right about the X Factor that guys like Marcus Smart and Draymond Green bring to the game.
Lakers are playing hardball with the Spurs right now with these signings… but I guarantee you come next year, you’ll be seeing a LBJ/Kawhi/Cousins pairing for the 2019-2020 season. On top of which, some combination of Ball/Ingram/Kuzma/Hart. Lakers won’t be winning a title this season, but they’re gonna take down GSW eventually… for sure.
What? The plan is to get much older and get rid of the young talent? Maybe Shaq is available?
It’s simple. You trade Ball+ for Leondard. Lakers tell the NBA that LBJ needs a point guard, the NBA rigs the lottery (pick being traded for a PG), Lakers trade for their PG of choice… Championships. I mean it’s going to take something ridiculous anyway, may as well be a conspiracy on top of it all!
There are reports out that the Spurs do not want Lonzo….who would?
Ok why does this make sense? Lebron needs to be surrounded by scorer’s. Teams will play off of Rondo and dare him to shoot. The team already had a pass first point guard in Lonzo Ball who also struggles to shoot. Am I wrong?
Why do people think the Spurs would send Kawhi to the Lakers? Its NOT HAPPENING. You have to give the Spurs more credit. The Spurs will use this move to retool and they will probably send him to Philly. I would rather have him sit out than help the Lakers. The Lakers, even with all these moves are not a top 5 West team. You add Kawhi and they are. Pop wont do that.
In life we don’t do things to slight the other guy very often. Losers do that but only sometimes.
We do things to help ourselves improve our situation whether it helps the other guy or not.
I’m not going to cut off my nose just to spite my face. Kawhi to Lakers- undeniable truth number 12.
I am wondering if they trade Lonzo and and Cousins?
add*
I really think the Lakers are going to stretch Deng abs sign Cousins. James and Rondo both are big fans of Cousins and Rondo abs Cousins are actually friends. I just feel like it’s going to happen. I also feel like Lonzo is a goner in a trade.
“Lakers are putting together an interesting team” – ESPN. Basically the nice way of saying that roster is a dumpster fire. You can get rid of all of them and kept Randle and it would have been a better roster.
Rondo, KCP, Ingram, LeBron, Cousins. Kuzma, Hart, Lance, Javale, Ball off the bench. Add a depth piece or 2, and the 2 shooters they drafted pretty much round out the roster, and that looks pretty good assuming health. LeBron makes them a contender by himself
In your dreams
I’m not a Lakers fan. It just looked like that was what they were doing…before the amazing Cousins news hit last night lol. I’m still laughing
I just can’t believe Magic would not sign him for NBA pocket change unless Lebron said no. Every armchair couch potato fantasy wannabe GM knows you sign a player like Boogie for MLE (mid level exception) just to keep him away from the evil empire.GSW….If you’re going to sign screwballs, sign the biggest and baddest screwball of all. Why go halfazz? Sign the Boogers…OOPS too late
Agree
I don’t like the fit for Rondo and LeBron. Rondo is very ball-dominant (like Lonzo) and can’t shoot (he makes Lonzo look like a Splash Brother). The only upsides to this is that Rondo is still a near-lockdown defender at the guard spots, can run the offense, and Playoff Rondo. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Rondo get traded mid-season because he isn’t playing too well or see Rondo set a career-low in assists per game. I could also see LeBron’s numbers (both scoring and assists) taking a slight hit since he wouldn’t have the ball as much. That might be a good thing in the long haul for the Lakers though, especially since they don’t currently stand a chance against the Warriors. Having Rondo might save LeBron some energy during the season but this signing doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. Even resigning IT would have made more sense unless his relationship with LeBron is non-existant.
Rondo isn’t ball-dominant at all. He’s a facilitator.
I like Rondo but I am not sure of his fit in the Lakers, for sure Ball is better, I prefer him & hope they don’t trade him, but will Rondo be happy coming from the bench?
Bye Bye Zo, Hello emptiness, I think his daddy gonna cry cry…Bye Bye ZoZo aint a gonna lie lie…Bye Bye Zo Zo
Is Lavar having Rondo over for dinner tonight?
This is gonna blow up in Magic’s face. I’m convinced this guy has absolutely no clue how to run a front office. He comes in and raids the nursing home for new bodies. Yea, this is gonna end well.
Headline should have read “James signs Rondo to a one year contract.” Next one may read “James signs Anthony to a one year contract.”
Lol. It’s the truth. The only person Magic signed (and will sign) is LBJ. After that, James has complete control, just like in Cleveland. That’s why IT was promptly shipped out.