Los Angeles Lakers: Complete 2018 offseason grades
By Dan Lovi
Signing Rajon Rondo
The Lakers pounced on Rajon Rondo moments after they rescinded their qualifying offer to Julius Randle. They used the cap space to sign the veteran point guard to a one-year, $9 million contract.
Rondo has been a starter for most of his career and has no no intentions of relinquishing that role just because Lonzo Ball is in town.
Rondo is coming to training camp with plans to compete for a starting job, source told @YahooSportsNBA.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) July 2, 2018
The point guard battle is going to be one to watch closely. If Ball maintains the starting job, Rondo’s transition into a role player could be tricky. If Rondo wins the starting job, Ball’s demeanor will be interesting to watch, and we all know his father LaVar Ball doesn’t shy away from voicing his opinion.
If there’s one thing the Lakers are hoping for more than anything, it’s that Rondo will push Ball on a daily basis. If Ball improves thanks to Rondo’s mentorship, competition or both, it’ll be a win for L.A. He can also step in and play heavy minutes if Ball were to miss any time due to injury.
Grade: B+