Rajon Rondo was the unsung hero of the Los Angeles Lakers’ run to a championship this past season. Obviously LeBron James and Anthony Davis led the way, but whenever times looked tough, it was Rondo who would take over and make big plays in the playoffs.
After winning his second NBA title, Rondo decided to treat himself to a little vacation. The 34-year-old is currently having a grand ol’ time in the Maldives. The videos really speak for themselves.
Once Rondo gets back from his vacation, he is going to have some big decisions to make. Right after the season ended, he signaled that he would be utilizing his player option and opting out of his current deal with the Lakers that would have paid him $2.7 million in 2020-21.
Assuming Rob Pelinka wants to retain Rondo, he could offer him 105 percent of the league’s average salary, which would be in the $9.8 million range. Under Early Bird Rights rules, the deal would have to last two years. Also, if the Lakers paid Rondo that much, they would only have the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception to offer to outside free agents.
Dwight Howard responds. https://t.co/1YLknXUz1m
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 29, 2020
This week, Marc Stein of the New York Times reported that the Los Angeles Clippers would make a serious push to add Rondo to their roster. Should they so choose, the front office could offer Rondo the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which would be roughly $9.3 million.
A few weeks back, ESPN NBA insider Stephen A. Smith reported that Kawhi Leonard desperately wanted his team to add a credible point guard.
“They clearly need a point guard,” he said.
The Warriors are coming back for their crown next year. https://t.co/dHauGKyc0H
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 28, 2020
“Everybody knows it and Kawhi Leonard privately has clamored for one. It’s not that he wants them to get rid of Patrick Beverley, but Patrick Beverley is basically a defensive ace who’s small and has to play opposing guards. So, they need a point guard that can run a team and can shoot.”
Rondo definitely checks a lot of the boxes that Leonard is looking for.
Rondo really raised his stock in the postseason this year. Although his averages of 8.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.4 steals in 24.7 minutes don’t jump off the page, they were extremely impactful. For large chunks of the playoffs, he was legitimately the third best player on the Lakers’ roster.
The beef is real. https://t.co/R7VdyWaJT8
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 28, 2020
Dwight Howard was solid against the Denver Nuggets. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope stepped up big against the Miami Heat. But Rondo was good for the duration of the entire playoffs.
If the not the Lakers or Clippers, it also wouldn’t be a huge shock to see the Boston Celtics make a serious play to pick him up this offseason.
All in all, this is going to be a big year for Rondo. If he handles it correctly, he could very easily end up with a ton of money and in position to win a third NBA championship.
Will that ultimately be with the Lakers? Time will tell.
Related: Lakers Rumors: Team Trading For Derrick Rose, Jrue Holiday Or Victor Oladipo?
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
