AUGUST 31: The Lakers have officially signed Rondo, the team confirmed today (via Twitter).
AUGUST 30: Point guard Rajon Rondo intends to sign a one-year, minimum-salary contract with the Lakers after he becomes a free agent, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links). Rondo, who will clear waivers today, will sign his new contract on Tuesday, Wojnarowski adds.
Rondo agreed to a buyout with the Grizzlies and was released by the team on Saturday, with reports at the time indicating the Lakers would likely be his next destination. According to Wojnarowski, Rondo will still earn $7.5MM this season, which was the base salary on his previous deal, so it sounds like he gave up about $2.64MM (his minimum salary) in his buyout agreement.
Rondo, 35, signed with Atlanta during the 2020 offseason, but had a limited impact in 27 games with the Hawks, averaging just 3.9 PPG and 3.5 APG in 14.9 minutes per contest — those numbers all would’ve been career lows.
The veteran guard was traded to the Clippers in a midseason trade and finished the 2020/21 campaign with the team, appearing in 18 regular season games and 13 playoff contests. L.A. then sent him to the Grizzlies in a deal for Eric Bledsoe earlier this month, but he was only included in that swap for salary-matching purposes and was never in Memphis’ plans.
Rondo will now rejoin a Lakers team with whom he won a championship in 2020. He spent two seasons with the Lakers from 2018-20. Los Angeles will have 13 players on guaranteed contracts once the signing is complete.
They need one more player, Kevin Love. Hopefully he gets bought-out and signs to play with LeBron again.
Yeah these guys are all vets but they aren’t going to be asked to play major minutes. This team is going to be a super deep team filled with guys who know how to play the game, are all, except for maybe AD and Westbrook, looking at the near end of their careers and laser focused on winning now. None of them should ever be overwhelmed by the moment. Not a Laker fan but part of me wants them to win if the Knicks and Ca…ok Knicks aren’t in the finals, which is a long shot but I can dream. This team can go 10-12 deep. Rondo would be an excellent leader of the 2nd team. I think they’ll all put their egos aside and even Westbrook will likely sacrifice for the team but do what needs to be done on a game by game bases. But being able to bring in Melo to give LBJ a breather, or sub Howard for AD, Rondo for Westbrook, etc is fantastic. Starters know they probably only have to go 30 minutes on most nights. Bench guys can be ready to go hard for short periods of time (15-20 minutes). Very intriguing season.
Agree, it’s going to be very interesting. Rarely is a team ever able to go 12 players deep nightly.
There’s no 2nd team. Just put players on the court that mesh well, regardless of depth
Rondos time as a clipper was sealed when he confronted kawhi at end of mavs game.. holding him accountable sealed his fate with clippers.. shortly after, his playing time was cut or didn’t play at all.. but, I guess the clippers will be going all in on their western conference semi finals championship banner night. Glad to have rondo back..
Rondo cashed in after winning title with Lakers by scamming Hawks, and now Lakers are again free to sign him for min. I guess it worked out for Rondo. Probably his last gig….
Wasn’t sure if it was possible but the Lakers average age just went up
They’re gonna need to substitute all their old players every two minutes.
Nine of their 13 players are 32 or older. They should do AARP commercials.
They’ll be fine. Only 3 guys need to exceed 20 minutes a night.
Yeah Laker haters just point to age but the reality is that the Lakers have put together a solid roster.
I’m not saying it’s not a good roster. It’s just an old roster. One does not preclude the other
@Greenwood
You guys are completely overreacting. Like LBJ, AD and Westbrook won’t be top 10-15 players next year. You’re acting as if their talent level falls off a cliff after 32. The fact that they can have a Howard, Rondo, Melo, Bazemore, Ariza, Monk, etc come off the bench is amazing. The idea you think they can’t hold up playing 15-30 minutes a game is laughable.
Do any of those players play well together.
They need Danny Green. It’s going to be a dumpster fire for the Lakers this year
Spurs are the only team that can pull off a successful dumpster fire season
@Zachary
I don’t know if I’ve ever seen such a varied opinion of a team before. I’ve seen teams 7that were just mediocre called title contenders due mostly to homerism but never a range from favorites to win it all to won’t even compete in the west. Can they play together literally remains to be seen because most of them are new but keep in mind LBJ teams usually come together by his 2nd year. He just won a chip with AD, Rondo, Howard a year ago. I don’t think the likely curve will take longer than midseason.
Assuming the Lakers make the playoffs and with the age of this roster, its injury history that isn’t a given, I doubt this signing will mean much.
This team isn’t even close to what the Heat were when their dominance began. When their Big 3 first got together they were all in their prime with LeBron at 25, Wade at 28, and Bosh at 26. With D-Wade as the elder vet on Miami he was less than 2 months older back in 2010 than AD is right now.
Now AD has 9 teammates who are between 4 and 9 years older than him.
The window of opportunity for the Lakers right now is miniscule at best.
The lakers won a title a year ago.. lebron was playing mvp level until hill rolled his ankle.. AD Came in complacent and out of shape.. this team is hungry. They replaced me players for team players.. schroder, Harrell, were always about getting theirs. That’s why they’ve never won.. Howard fixes the rim protection..rondo will teach monk and nunn how to be professional and tht will have another growth year. rockets fan critiquing lakers title chances is hilarious..
A)how do you know AD was complacent and B) how do you know they are hungry? You text the guys?
@implant.. I watch the games.. AD was never close to himself.. on both ends..even when healthy, he played like he didn’t want to play.. his free throw pct fell off a cliff.. all his numbers were down..
The Lakers were exhausted last year due to the short offseason after winning it all during the crazy 2020 schedule. Heat got swept in the 1st round last year after playing in the 2020 finals despite being younger. Both teams were clearly exhausted.
The Lakers are sold
I mean they are old
No refund on your first comment
Playoff Rondo ….. my guy.
Lakers aren’t getting out the West. AD is from the Soft Side of Chicago.