One year after leaving the Lakers, Rajon Rondo has somehow found his way back to the franchise. Rondo was a crucial part of the Lakers winning the 2020 NBA championship.
After his excellent performances in the playoffs, proving why his nickname is ‘Playoff Rondo,’ he cashed in on his value. He signed a 2-year, $15 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks in the offseason.
But Rondo was traded to the LA Clippers on deadline day, with the hope that he can perform the same way for them as he did for the Lakers the season before. That didn’t end up happening, and the Clippers traded him away to the Grizzlies.
Rondo and the Grizzlies agreed to a contract buyout, allowing him to sign a minimum contract with the Lakers. Rondo is yet another veteran player to join the Lakers roster. He is now the 9th Laker over 30 years of age.
Despite his years of experience, Rondo has shown that he can still be a valuable contributor to any franchise. But surprisingly enough, Rondo is not one of the oldest members of the Lakers.
At 35 years of age, Rondo is still younger than LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, and Marc Gasol. Rondo even joked that he is looking forward to being one of the younger stars on the team next season.
“I’m most excited about not being the oldest guy on the team anymore… That’s a big step for me going from two months ago. I was the oldest guy on a team. Now, I’m considered one of the young guys.”
Rondo’s return to the Lakers will be a big bench boost for them. With Russell Westbrook taking over point guard responsibilities, Rondo will be asked to run the offense when LeBron and Westbrook sit out during a game.
