Rajon Rondo appears likely to join the Lakers after he clears waivers on Monday, even though the team can only offer a veteran’s minimum contract, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Rondo reached a buyout agreement on Saturday with the Grizzlies, who apparently never had any intention of keeping the veteran guard after acquiring him from the Clippers two weeks ago. Details on the buyout haven’t been made available, but he was set to make a base salary of $7.5MM in the final season of a two-year contract.
Rondo is reportedly eager to return to L.A. and rejoin the franchise where he won an NBA title in 2019/20. The Lakers are over the salary cap and already used their taxpayer mid-level exception to add former Heat guard Kendrick Nunn.
Rondo would be the fifth former Laker to return to the team this offseason, McMenamin notes, joining Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Wayne Ellington and Kent Bazemore.
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- The Lakers were “strongly considering” adding Isaiah Thomas to their roster, but Rondo’s buyout has “clearly changed things,” tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Thomas worked out for the team earlier this month, along with Darren Collison and Mike James, and is hoping to find a way back to the NBA after playing just three games for the Pelicans last season.
- Center DeAndre Jordan could be a candidate for the Lakers if he agrees to a buyout with the Nets, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne suggested on a recent appearance on the “Mason & Ireland” show (hat tip to Dan Feldman of NBC Sports). Shelburne speculates that any move won’t happen until midseason, although a report this week stated that Jordan may not be with Brooklyn when training camps open September 28. The veteran center, who played the first 10 seasons of his career with the cross-town Clippers, is owed nearly $20MM over the next two years.
- Appearing on Sirius XM NBA Radio, assistant coach Phil Handy cautioned that there’s still a lot of work to do after the offseason talent upgrade (hat tip to Corey Hansford of Lakers Nation). “Paper doesn’t win championships for us,” Handy said. “Those names that are on that paper, are some phenomenal names. … We gotta do our work and make sure we gel. Do we fit? These guys, they gotta figure out ways to play with each other and sacrifice, and let their names take over.”
Uhhhh…..did the Lakers seriously work out 46 year old Mike James who’s been out of the league a looong while, or is it safe to assume a Mike James other than the one linked in the story is the guy looking for a roster spot?
Nvm, got to be the Mike James who showed pretty well with the Nets last season at 30 years old. Anybody other than a guy nearly as old as Vogel.
Desperate times…
This Lakers team isn’t looking to establish a dynasty just a lets win one for lebron. Unfortunately age and experience without your skills equals 500.
Without skills? If this team stays healthy they will be in the NBA Finals next season. The roster is absolutely loaded
I wouldn’t say loaded you should say if there is no big injuries and players playing up to previous years they might get to the finals. Most of the players are on the downside of their careers so a young team like the Suns could run them down. Don’t act surprised when the injuries start hitting.
@arc89
how many teams can boast a top 3 like LBJ, AD and Westbrook? All the other pieces are role players. They are easily one of the top 5 teams in the nba. We’re talking about 2021 not 2025
Problem is 2 of them are old by NBA standards and 1 has a history of injuries. About 12 teams can say they will be in the finals if there is no injuries. Second is team chemistry you bring in new players you never know how well they will play together. There is no team in the NBA can say they are in the finals.
OMG THIS TEAM IS SO FREAKING GOOD OMG OMG 82-0 16-0!!!!!!
Wait it is still 2013 right?
Anthony Davis is only 28. They already have one title in the bag and have a better roster than the 2020 team. The mental gymnastics acting like this team isn’t at minimum facing the Nets in the Finals is comical
Same thing I heard last year. I do not think they have a better team unless you think the old bench will all have career years. I see a big lack of defense on the team. Their defense was much better last year. So you are saying the west is a bad division? There will be no easy ride in the west playoffs. If you don’t see the west as a all out fight to the finish you are looking through rose color glasses.
Willing to bet lakers end with a better record than warriors next 2 seasons. Age aside lakers have a better roster than warriors and less questions as in the health of steph curry and klay thompson. Adding 2 rookies and a washed Otto porter does little to improve on last years failures. Wiseman also looked like a bust and was clearly overhyped before the draft. Arc commenting on every lakers post let’s us know all we need, we live rent free in that head.
warriors been living in your head rent free for the last 8 years. I will take you up on that bet. No injury excuse can be used. Saying Wiseman a 19 Y O player that was injured is a bust shows how little you know. He outperformed THT. Potter is only replacing Oubre who was the bust last year. the bench is much deeper and starting rotation better. Lakers are built for ONLY this year. I will be waiting for your excuse machine to start up at the first of the year.
Lakers have plenty of questions too. I’m a laker fan and I really see Westbrook changing his game similar to harden with nets. Laker defense gonna be challenge, and Anthony Davis health is a huge point of concern.
I do like Warriors young group, wiseman far from being called a bust just yet. Kerr see’s him growing like Ayton from suns did in his third year. The two kids drafted in top ten and legit. Clay big ?, don’t see what question is with curry? Draymond will need less minutes but guy brings so much. Will be interesting. Utah, Denver, clippers and Suns plus PDX make west crazy and no clear favorite.
I’m not the biggest Westbrook fan but how on earth can you say having him over Caruso/Kuz/KCP makes them worse off. Just pure delusion.
AD is only 28, but he’s even less durable than all nine of his teammates in the rotation who are all 32-37 years old. Maybe that sounds like a dynasty to a Lakers fan, but not to anyone else.
It’s impossible to establish a dynasty with the oldest roster in the entire history of professional team sports. If they add Rondo he will be only the 6th oldest player on the team at age 35, that’s unfathomable. How can a team with 9 of its regular players between the ages of 32 and 37 be considered favorites to win anything? We’ll see some serious load management there.
I dont get the idea that the Lakers would need another guard, instead of someone on the wing. They were missing that spit last year, after they lost Danny Green, and now they lost KCP and Wesley Matthew’s too, and they only have Ariza. Bazemore is there as well, but he is more of a put the ball on the floor guy than a 3 and D wing, but even with those 2, they could use another guy at that spot, and there are a couple of guys left for that, including Wesley Matthews
They have Westbrook, Nunn, Monk, and THT, plus potentially LeBron to use at that PG spot, so not sure why they would need to add someone else there, especially with shooting being a need for them
Playoff Rondo
Something, or someone rather, that the stock NBA fan is almost entirely unaware of. Most of the Laker hating nerds on this message board will scoff at Rondo’s stat line, which is ALWAYS based on a player’s regular season numbers… But aside from improved offensive/defensive stats/percentages across the board, Playoff Rondo’s a different animal in the postseason bc he’s got every hoops intangible there is. He’s a dynamic leader too… Having an enhanced basketball & overall IQ also makes it easy to see his method(s); makes sure he gets paid, coasts thru the regular season’s (showing flashes), then turns it all the way up when it’s time to chase ring’s & playoff bonus checks that get bigger & bigger the deeper the run… Rondo’s a genius imo. He’s a serious professional who treats his career in the NBA like a business in setting up the next few generations of his family. And he takes care of his body as such.
D3 everyone knows about him. Bill Bellamy knew this when he just said “Playoff Rondo” without needing all your background. And formerlyz was just being formerlyz, checking all the wings for lameness.
BTW playoffs have stat lines too.
I think Rondo “turns it up” in the playoffs because it is more socially acceptable to yell at teammates in the playoffs as the games are tense anyway, being playoffs.
It’s almost a compliment that Rondo did not do that much in the playoffs for the LA corner-shooters last year. Surely the worst playoff success team ever, with only one starter having an above-average PER.
They literally only have Ariza there, and he is arguably a 4 at this point in his career. If you want to argue nobody needs any help on the wing ever, I dont know what you’re saying
Having said all of that, I realize they have 3 open spots, so they can still add a player like I’m taking about. Personally, I would have probably targeted the wing, a depth 4, and maybe an energy depth big with those spots, but maybe they’ll address 1 of those spots during the season, or give 1 of their 2 ways to someone on the wing, like an Austin Reaves
Lakers are all about this yr. That window is closing fast. Rondo is a solid rotation guy. More important in playoffs. Lakers can do it by numbers, depth. But in playoffs that doesn’t work as well as in season.
I’ll bet that after the ASG we will see a lot of load management.
They have a title in the bank and should get another. Haters really out here talking windows for a team that could very well get multiple chips. Al, we do not care.
Only FOOLS talk championships. You and the IQ kid kin. Lakers window is based on Brons age. Not your HomerVision. Get some knowledge if you want to make a point. Go yell at your kids you’ll feel better.
amk1920 is the Marty of the Lakers.
Except the Lakers have actually proven they can win with their current roster. Unlike the Warriors who have been awful without KD. And don’t point to your title from 7 seasons ago without KD as evidence lmao
they been without Thompson the last 2 years. I noticed how you didn’t mention that or Curry was out for most of the season 2 years ago. Lakers only win came in a half Covid season under abnormal conditions. Lakers have a almost completely different team so NO they didn’t win with the current lineup. Watch how much they miss Caruso off the bench.
Team that won in bubble far from this current roster, and LBJ is two years older. Defense gonna be challenge. A lot depends on Westbrook . As a laker fan I really believe Westbrook will buy in and by playoff time it will be rolling. Of course that is if Davis can be injury free…
You’re literally on here spouting nonsense about the Lakers nonstop and hyping up the Clippers. Yeah man, I too believe a team with LeBron, AD and Westbrook in the starting lineup won’t have success in the playoffs
Why don’t you enjoy the season first. Before talking nonsense. Lakers have a bunch of new players. Takes time to build chemistry and trust. Paper champions are like cracks. Nothing but BS comes out of it.
I see all these comments about load management. They already have 12 players on the roster who are all worthy of being in the regular season rotation. So yes, the roster is built for guys to play smaller minutes and have nights off where it will be someone else’s turn to play since you can’t have a 12-14 player rotation. Rondo will play a lot when Russ or Lebron sits, and so forth. And they will have a ton of flexibility come time for playoff rotations. And yes, there may be a guy or two who are hurt come playoffs. As long as it isn’t one of the big three then they have so many guys to choose from they will be covered.
As far as the future is concerned they will have no problem bringing in a second star to pair with AD when the time comes. But it is a valid concern that they need to start accumulating some younger guys for the future. THT may be one, but it will be hard to bring back Monk or Nunn if they have good years as they won’t be able to give them market value then they didn’t this year either. Their name and market does give them a leg up on half the league. So we will see how it plays out.
But yes, now that they apparently are signing another player if advanced age player number 14 needs to have some youth.
Great comment.
The Lakers teams is missing defensive players especially in the guard and small forward . Their 3 point shooting will dip this year . And with Lebron and Westbrook in the line up with AD AD will have to play more from the perimeter like how bosh played in Miami . I still have them third best in the west after the suns , and Utah . Let’s see how it turns out
The LA Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are both trying to scoop up as many former All-Stars as possible! Strategy sounds solid as long as no other owners kick up a ruckus that they are unfairly buying NBA Championships. I’d pencil both teams in for the Finals.
As a lifetime warrior fan 40plus years. Seeing this gets me pissed! I seen the warriorss for years not be able to land a superstar. So we raised them through draft! We get KD and heard it none stop. Ring chaser and all. But this lebron laker thing is crazy. Old ring chasers giving up money to chase rings. KD didn’t give up nothing and no one else on the team did and we were the DREAM TEAM baring no injuries. Klay not getting hurt in those finals outcome would be different
I implore you to hop on a Google image search of Klay’s knees. You can see very clearly that he has horrible knees! His kneecaps are really small & if you zoom in, his patella tendon’s both look like cheap rubber-band. They’re hairless & smooth. He’s more like a seal than a grown man, poor bastard… -Knee Thompson
This roster is built for one at most 2 years and the team will have A Davis and no body else on roster will have a great chance in 2 years to re up the roster thing that worries menis keeping James to long like signing him to a another 3 year deal when he is close to 40