The Los Angeles Lakers remains interested in signing Rajon Rondo, but will only do so for a certain low price as they don’t see him as a foundation piece.
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It is no secret that the Lakers want to acquire the point guard, given that it was speculated prior to his move to Dallas that they were interested in taking him to the Staples Center.
Meanwhile, Kobe Bryant has consistently revealed that he is a huge fan of the former Boston Celtics star, and the pair were spotted having breakfast earlier this year before Rondo’s move to the Mavs ahead of the trade deadline in February.
His move to Dallas has not worked out as hoped and after clashing with coach Rick Carlisle and suffering a back injury, he isn’t expected to play for the franchise again with free agency looming this summer.
As a result, he will enter the market as a popular man but although it is widely assumed that the Lakers will be at the front of the queue to sign him, they are seemingly not prepared to break the bank to land him.
“Buss is not the believer he was earlier in the season when it comes to Rondo, and Kupchak is toting enough healthy skepticism that he sees Rondo as value only at a certain low price,” Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report noted.
“The Lakers have higher priorities when it comes to spending their precious 2015 salary-cap space. They are hopeful of buying a foundational piece—something they aren’t convinced Rondo is.”
The fact that president Jeanie Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak are in agreement over this is a solid start for the franchise, as ultimately there are question marks over the 29-year-old after this season.
While he is still regarded as one of the top facilitators in the league, he perhaps isn’t the same defensive stalwart as he once was and has lost a step which is coupled with his poor shooting.
If the Lakers still see him as a good fit for their team and are confident that he can co-exist with coach Byron Scott, then it can still be expected that he will be wearing purple and gold next year.
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