Knicks Rumors: Rajon Rondo Sought By New York Knicks Coach, Carmelo Anthony


Knicks rumors about Rajon Rondo are starting to pop up again. It appears that New York Knicks head coach Kurt Rambis and All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony would enjoy having Rondo on the roster. A report from the New York Post on Saturday, March 19, has brought Rondo back into the conversation. As the struggling team tries to figure out who will play point guard during the 2016-17 NBA season, the possibility of Rajon Rondo signing as a free agent has become front page news.

Rondo is playing out a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings and will become a free agent during the NBA offseason. The $9.5 million contract was for Rondo to prove that he could still play at an All-Star level after a down year with the Dallas Mavericks. The 29-year-old point guard has done just that, averaging 11.8 points, 11.9 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game this year. It puts him on a list of candidates who could sign with the New York Knicks.

These New York Knicks rumors could make a lot of sense for the team, as Rondo is very good at facilitating an offense that is already in place. He is also a superior defensive player who could vastly improve that side of the ball in New York. It was reported that Carmelo Anthony is already campaigning Rondo to come to the Knicks, but that was the case before the events last week. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Anthony got very frustrated during a loss to the Golden State Warriors and didn’t participate in a team huddle. It worked to create many new trade rumors.

Rajon Rondo Dribbling
(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

So could these latest Knicks rumors turn out to be true? It does seem like Kurt Rambis is enamored with Rajon Rondo, so that could translate to him becoming a player that team president Phil Jackson looks to sign. It also doesn’t hurt that Anthony wants to play with Rondo. That could serve not only as a reason for Jackson to pursue Rondo, but also for the former All-Star point guard to come to New York.

Rondo might be able to get a bigger payday with the Knicks than anywhere else in free agency. The minutes would also be there for him to possible make the Eastern Conference All-Star team again. Career averages of 10.9 points, 8.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game will certainly garner him a long-term contract in free agency. It all comes down to whether or not a contending team wants to give him that huge deal.

The Knicks might have a lot of money to spend in free agency, especially if Arron Afflalo and Derrick Williams decide to opt out of their current deals. That would leave only about $55 million in guaranteed contracts for the New York Knicks. The team has Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis locked up long-term, so adding another piece could certainly help with this puzzle. Phil Jackson would have to add more than just a point guard to get the Knicks into contention again, but it would be considered a huge step.

Rajon Rondo On Defense
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

There are going to be a lot more New York Knicks rumors before the beginning of the 2016-17 NBA season. The team will likely get linked to nearly every big-name free agent, including former-MVP Kevin Durant. While the chances of beating out the Oklahoma City Thunder for Durant or the Cleveland Cavaliers for LeBron James isn’t that great, the team could still find good role players to put around Anthony. That might give him a chance to finally get back to the NBA Playoffs and provide an opportunity to play in the Eastern Conference Finals for the Knicks.

[Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images]

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