Much has been made all season long of the Los Angeles Lakers' offseason plans, mostly because the Lakers have been so bad on the court that their play has not been worth discussing. The team has a well-known interest in point guard Rajon Rondo, and rumors are already springing up that he may join the team this offseason.
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Kobe Bryant has been outspoken about his desire to have Rondo become a Laker, and Rondo himself has made some comments that could be construed as a desire to head west if people want to read between the lines. But according to ESPN, the question people should be asking is not whether Rondo wants to join the Lakers, but rather should the Lakers even want Rondo?
It is increasingly obvious to anyone who watches basketball that the NBA is transitioning toward being a point guard driven league. Every championship contender has a reliable point guard that can dominate a game, and teams are doing whatever they can to find above average play at the position.
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While few would question Rondo's talent, it is fair to wonder if he is that guy. When Rondo was at his best in Boston, he was surrounded by three future Hall of Famers. Yes Rondo plays excellent defense, and he is a dynamic ballhandler and passer, but those qualities do not in themselves an alpha dog make.
Rondo has never been a scorer, and Bryant is no longer the 25 points-per-night force he once was. Too many people lazily continue the "Rondo can't shoot" narrative, but Rondo is still not an elite shooter, even though he is a guy that teams must guard now.
So the fact remains that while Rondo is undeniably a massive upgrade at point guard compared to Jeremy Lin, he may not be the best guy to join L.A. this summer. The Lakers will have over $20 million in cap room, but Rondo could command over half of that, leaving the team unable to sign another big-name player.
If the team really wants to set up for the long-term, they may be better off pursuing a guy like Kevin Love and then trying to trade for Rondo or some other point guard down the line.
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