The Dallas Mavericks have clinched a playoff berth, and the Los Angeles Lakers have been officially eliminated from contention since about the third day of the season, but the two franchises have still been intertwined for much of the season because of point guard Rajon Rondo.
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The Mavs traded for Rondo earlier this year, but nearly everyone expects him to bolt town as a free agent this summer and join Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant has been recruiting Rondo hard, for some time, but the two players did not manage to catch up when Dallas was in town recently, according to The L.A. Times.
"He bailed on me again this time," Rondo said of Bryant. The two have hung out before games before, notably going to breakfast when the Lakers were in Boston to face the Celtics before Rondo was traded. Their meetings have only fueld speculation that Rondo wants to be a Laker.
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"I left a couple of voice mails, but he didn't respond" said Rondo, before adding that the pair would just have to catch up another time.
When asked whether that later date might happen this summer when free agency is open and Los Angeles can officially start wooing Rondo, the point guard replied, "I don't know. I might change my number by then, so we'll see."
The Lakers have made it known that they covet Rondo to be the man running their offense in what is increasingly a point guard-driven league. Rondo wants close to max money, and the franchise will have the cap space to give it to him, although their willingness to do so might be another matter.
Still, despite Kobe blowing Rondo off recently, it seems like Los Angeles is still the favorite to land him this summer.
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