NBA Rumors: Rajon Rondo ‘Absolutely’ Wants To Re-Sign With L.A. Lakers Next Summer
Rajon Rondo joined the Los Angeles Lakers with the hope that he could help them end their playoff drought in the 2018-19 NBA season. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as they expected as the Lakers failed to reach the postseason for the six straight years. The Lakers only have five games left before their season officially comes to an end and they will soon be needing to make a tough decision regarding some of their players, including Rondo.
With the Lakers plan to chase an incoming free agent superstar next summer, it is less likely that they will prioritize bringing Rajon Rondo back. Rondo may have been an incredible leader and floor general, but the Lakers are in dire need of another superstar who can play alongside LeBron James in order to have a higher chance of contending for the NBA championship title in the 2019-20 NBA season. However, if he will be the one to decide, Rondo said in a recent interview with Dave McMenamin of ESPN that he “absolutely” wants to return to the Lakers for another season.
“Absolutely. I mean, the only way we can go from here is up,” Rondo said.
“So, I don’t know what the future holds as far as the summer — if I come back, or who else comes back or if I don’t come back. Those things are out of my control. But at the same time, it’s a great organization. I can’t say enough about the staff and the people who work here. They’re really kind and helpful, so I want to continue, if I can, help this organization grow.”
#LakeShow trail the #Pelicans by 1 at the break.@RajonRondo: 14 pts, 9 ast pic.twitter.com/nGn0mFOfgS
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) March 31, 2019
It’s easy to understand why Rajon Rondo remains interested in playing for the Lakers. The Lakers’ inability to earn a playoff spot in the Western Conference isn’t because they are really a bad team. Before suffering multiple injuries, the Lakers reached as high as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, showing that they could compete against other powerhouse teams despite having LeBron James as their only superstar.
Rajon Rondo only signed a one-year, $9 million deal with the Lakers, but he revealed that he, his agent Bill Duffy, and the Lakers had a discussion last summer about coming to L.A. on a multi-year commitment. If the Lakers succeed to acquire the likes of Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, and DeMarcus Cousins in free agency, they could decide to bring Rondo back. However, the Lakers may no longer consider re-signing Rondo if they go after Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker.
As of now, it remains unknown what the Lakers plan on Rajon Rondo and all their incoming free agents. Expect more rumors to circulate as the 2019 NBA free agency draws near.
