The Dallas Mavericks struggled for weeks after trading for Rajon Rondo, and although the team has seemed to once again find its footing lately, there are still questions about Rondo's fit within coach Rick Carlisle's system and about his long-term future with the team.
At least one coach was not surprised to see Rondo get shipped out of Boston, according to CBS Sports. Former Celtics coach Doc Rivers weighed in on the subject recently, saying, "I didn't know [if Rondo was going to be part of Boston's future]," Rivers said. "I think at the end of the day, it was more of a Rajon decision, in my opinion ... it was more his decision than [team president Danny Ainge) and the Celtics' staff.
"I just think you get a feel for whether [Rondo] wanted to play it out [in Boston] or not, and when you're rebuilding you can't take that gamble of letting an asset out of the door and letting him become a free agent."
Free Agents Lining Up To Join L.A.?
Of course, Rivers may not be as happy if Rondo elects to join the Lakers as a free agent this summer. Los Angeles is desparate to rebuild and add talent, and they have not been shy about letting people know that targeting Rondo is a key part of their plan.
It is believed that Rondo wants a max deal with the Lakers, which would eat up most of their cap room this summer. Some have questioned the wisdom of that move, particularly if Kevin Love or Greg Monroe wants to join the team also (they will only have the money for one max contract).
The Lakers have been high on Rondo so that they can keep up in an increasingly point guard-driven league, but adding Rondo, combined with the continued decline of Kobe Bryant, could leave the team more talented but still less able to score effectively.
If the team does offer Rondo a max or near-max deal, it seems likely that he will take it, but that does nothing to erase questions about whether or not that move would be in his or the franchise's best interest.
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