Rajon Rondo confirms to Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report that the Anthony Davis trade rumors just before the February deadline had a negative effect on the Lakers. Nearly all the team’s young players heard their names in rumored offers that were leaked to the press as L.A. tried to lock up Davis before the market becomes more competitive this summer.
There were numerous stories about how the Davis saga affected the mindset in the locker room, and the Lakers weren’t nearly as competitive after the deadline passed. Although he doesn’t name names, Rondo says a few veteran players were affected as well, but he denies being one of them.
“Me, I’m kind of numb to it,” he said. “I was in trade rumors every year in Boston. Eight straight years. You can’t really relate to it until you’ve gone through it. Not knowing the future, waking up every day — and now you’re on the phone reading stuff. When I was going through it, there wasn’t so much social media; it was just on TV. You’d hear it, or someone would text you about it, but it wasn’t so much in your face, with eight different blockbuster or proposed trades and your name in every one of them. Every Instagram scroll, you’re in it. So, psychologically, it probably took a toll. …
“Guys may have felt like, ‘Oh, I need to prove myself so I won’t be traded’ or ‘They’re going to trade me anyway.’ Each game you didn’t know what the mentality was for those guys: ‘Should I give my all to this organization that is about to trade me in two days?'”
There’s more Lakers news to pass along:
- Rondo also believes the team splintered because it had six players on one-year contracts, including himself. After the Lakers were unable to find a second star to pair with LeBron James last summer, they rounded up veterans on short-term deals to preserve their future cap space. “If the organization doesn’t give a guy a multiyear deal, how much can that guy really invest in the team?” Rondo asked. “His thinking is: ‘You don’t really believe in me. You’re just trying to fill a void. I’m just a plug-in.’ You can say you’re playing for a contract; on mediocre teams, OK, but on championship-caliber teams, it doesn’t work that way. Guys aren’t willing to make sacrifices.”
- JaVale McGee, another of those one-year veterans, is open to coming back to L.A. for another season, according to a tweet from the Fox show “Undisputed.” “I love L.A., it was beautiful for me,” he said. “I had my best averages, I had my best season playing alongside LeBron.”
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban defended Lakers owner Jeanie Buss this week, telling Dave McMenamin of ESPN that after her father’s death she had to balance family concerns with the pressures of running an organization.
Last year is history. What will Pelinka do with training wheels off? AD going to Knicks.
Trade #4 pick to San Antonio for Demar DeRozen into space. Unfortunately, everyone else going elsewhere. Beal would be great but doubt Wizards make that move without also demanding Ingram too.
Come on Rondo! It’s always good to be wanted!
no idea why marc cuban opinion matters? he’s facing sexual assault charges in portland, oregon and lied his way out of SEC insider trading accusations. he’s lucky to avoid prison bars.
Stop it! Just stop it! All that hate dude, is gonna be the end of you…
Anyway who cares what he does in his personal life, he can very well be an axe murderer for all I care, the point is that he is a very good owner, that is what I care about.
Derozen to LA makes sense. He is LA kid. Spurs dump stupid contract.
Popovich coaching Ingram would be interesting. Look what he did with Kawhi. Kuzma would probably improve his defense also; after all he is from Philly.
Is Cuban interested in Jeanie buss?