Rondo to Cavs Rumor

[Kilroy]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/32965136/cleveland-cavaliers-nearing-trade-los-angeles-lakers-guard-rajon-rondo-sources-say

Doesn't move the needle much but at least it's something...

[euphorbus]

This would be good for Rondo, certainly, to go where he is needed. It helps the Lakers because they need to open up a roster spot for Stanley Johnson or another wing.

[Landsberger]

Could be a subtraction even if we create a spot for Johnson. I have a feeling Rondo brings a lot of intangibles and my guess is that Johnson will turn into a pumpkin before you know it.

Regardless, the impact will be minimal either way.

If the Cavs continue to fade I could see a bought out Love coming our way. What's another washed vet with injury issues on our roster?

[BEazy]

This is a cost saving move while retaining Johnson. I heard Trevor Lane say it saves the Lakers about 10 million in luxury taxes.

[TJM217]

This would be awesome. Opens a roster spot and gets rid of a guys who doesn't contribute. Let them have him

[Slava]

Here I was hoping they’d take Westbrook.

[slifersd]

Here I was hoping they’d take Westbrook.

Westbrook's mother wouldn't take his useless dumb ass right now lol.

[euphorbus]

Looks like the trade is happening, according to Shams Charania. I liked having Rondo on the team: despite his clashes with Rick Carlisle in Dallas, in LA he has played the elder statesman and looked to pass first when on the court. His assist ratio, 38.7, is highest on the team.

[euphorbus]

Denzel Valentine is the player coming to the Lakers from the Cavaliers. It will be a shame if he is waived, I always liked him from his days at Michigan State. He is shooting 41% from three this season. Rondo has to clear out of protocols before the trade can be completed.

https://sports.yahoo.com/cleveland-cavaliers-trade-for-los-angeles-lakers-rajon-rondo-after-ricky-rubio-injury-163217780.html

[BEazy]

Reason they are waiving Valentine is because his contract is partially guaranteed. Not sure how that impacts the luxury tax but I'm sure it lessens the fee.

[zimpy27]

Reason they are waiving Valentine is because his contract is partially guaranteed. Not sure how that impacts the luxury tax but I'm sure it lessens the fee.

It saves Lakers about 5m inclusive of salary and luxury tax

[tamaraw08]

Reason they are waiving Valentine is because his contract is partially guaranteed. Not sure how that impacts the luxury tax but I'm sure it lessens the fee.

It saves Lakers about 5m inclusive of salary and luxury tax

So why sign Rondo in the first place then just trade him?
Is Pelinka admitting that he made a mistake?
Is having a cheaper guy like Collison a better alternative or just plainly saving money?

[zimpy27]

Reason they are waiving Valentine is because his contract is partially guaranteed. Not sure how that impacts the luxury tax but I'm sure it lessens the fee.

It saves Lakers about 5m inclusive of salary and luxury tax

So why sign Rondo in the first place then just trade him?
Is Pelinka admitting that he made a mistake?
Is having a cheaper guy like Collison a better alternative or just plainly saving money?

I think Rondo would have suggested he wanted to play more minutes and Lakers aren't playing him.

Lakers did make a lot of mistakes with their vet minimum signings.

Melo, Rondo, Bazemore, Jordan, Ellington, Bradley, Ariza

Ariza is the only wing defender that doesn't hurt the team offensively. Needed more of this team.
Melo, Bradley, Ellington and Rondo are ok but not what the team needs. Bradley is probably the best and Melo doesn't get moved.
Main busts were Bazemore and Jordan. I think Lakers will waive these two eventually to bring in other players.

[Landsberger]

Reason they are waiving Valentine is because his contract is partially guaranteed. Not sure how that impacts the luxury tax but I'm sure it lessens the fee.

It saves Lakers about 5m inclusive of salary and luxury tax

So why sign Rondo in the first place then just trade him?
Is Pelinka admitting that he made a mistake?
Is having a cheaper guy like Collison a better alternative or just plainly saving money?

A move like this confirms the obvious.... this isn't a contender and why pay the LT for, at best, a second round playoff team that has not future...

I actually hope it's the first wiggle of the plug as they start to pull it on this group.

[Eric Bieniemy]

It saves Lakers about 5m inclusive of salary and luxury tax

So why sign Rondo in the first place then just trade him?
Is Pelinka admitting that he made a mistake?
Is having a cheaper guy like Collison a better alternative or just plainly saving money?

A move like this confirms the obvious.... this isn't a contender and why pay the LT for, at best, a second round playoff team that has not future...

I actually hope it's the first wiggle of the plug as they start to pull it on this group.

If pulling plug means scrapping everyone, I don't see it. James and Davis aren't going anywhere. Westbrook has no value. This will more than likely be the squad.

They need to figure out how to maximize James with at least one of Westbrook or Davis while the other sits.

Maybe Davis and Westbrook should form a platoon where they each play 24 minutes or so without being on the floor together.

[Landsberger]

So why sign Rondo in the first place then just trade him?
Is Pelinka admitting that he made a mistake?
Is having a cheaper guy like Collison a better alternative or just plainly saving money?

A move like this confirms the obvious.... this isn't a contender and why pay the LT for, at best, a second round playoff team that has not future...

I actually hope it's the first wiggle of the plug as they start to pull it on this group.

If pulling plug means scrapping everyone, I don't see it. James and Davis aren't going anywhere. Westbrook has no value. This will more than likely be the squad.

They need to figure out how to maximize James with at least one of Westbrook or Davis while the other sits.

Maybe Davis and Westbrook should form a platoon where they each play 24 minutes or so without being on the floor together.

Well.... the plug has been pulled... the sooner they realize it the sooner we can start over.

Davis isn't a guy to build around. LeBron can still score but the rest of his game is aging and his durability isn't a given anymore. Westbrook was a mistake and one most everyone knew about. If the Owners are worried enough about money to dump Rondo they might be to look to move Westbrook to a contender in a multi-team trade that brings us back dead/expiring contracts. Davis has value out there for a couple more seasons anyway. If you send that message Bron will work a trade for himself.

Will it happen? 1% chance most likely but I'm a fan of the Lakers, not any player over that. The next time we will be a true contender is post Bron and most likely post Davis.

[Ballerhogger]

Rondo will help the cavs in spurts just no room here

[sonnyhill]

...The next time we will be a true contender is post Bron and most likely post Davis.

It is strange to see the team jettison Rondo for Denzel Valentine and then move Valentine to the Knicks in order to open a roster spot. Is this open roster spot going to be filled by another acquisition?

If this is the case, the sooner that Jeanie and Rob pull the plug, begun deconstruction (trading away both LeBron and Davis), and start the rebuild (draft capital and possible expiring contracts to free up cap space to sign future free agents), the sooner the Lakers will be on the right path.

The current course (LeBron, Westbrook, Davis and role players) is not going to get this Laker team a deep run in the playoffs.

Question, are Jeanie and Rob capable of the deconstruction-rebuild or does the franchise need to bring in a younger version of Jerry West?

Golden State, Phoenix, and Utah look so much more formidable than the Lakers and with how Houston and OKC loading up on young talent, the Lakers need to do things differently and better than it has in the past. Ironically, the young core of Lonzo, Ingram, and Kuzma combined with some athletic wings and LeBron could have been a strong roster.

Another thought: Could the team get back into contention by trading away AD for younger-and-more athletic wing players and have both LeBron and Westbrook (not tradeable) play "position-less?"

[euphorbus]

The Lakers save $4 million on the Rondo trade. Will this help them next season, or does it just pertain to the current season? The team has committed so much money to the Big Three that there is not a lot of room to re-sign players like Anthony, Bradley, and Monk. Reaves is on a two-year contract, so he should still be around next season.

[euphorbus]

It looks like the front office needs the money to sign Avery Bradley for the rest of the current season, at $2.6 million.

https://www.si.com/nba/lakers/news/lakers-running-out-of-time-on-decision-to-keep-avery-bradley-bw2021