Lakers Free Agency Rumors: Rajon Rondo Declining Player Option For 2020-21

Matthew Moreno
3 Min Read
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

With little time between the Los Angeles Lakers winning the championship and the start of the 2020-21 NBA season, the team figured to face a hectic period with respect to the Draft, free agency and potential trades.

The Lakers went into the offseason with Avery Bradley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Anthony Davis and JaVale McGee all holding a player option for next season. Davis, as expected, is opting out of the final year remaining on his deal.

Most anticipate Davis will re-sign with the Lakers, and the only question being what type of contract he will ink.

As the team awaits other decisions, Rondo is another who has elected to test free agency, according to Brad Turner of the L.A. Times:

The likelihood of the Lakers possibly re-signing Rondo is unclear given his apparent desire for a more lucrative salary and with the team’s expected trade for Dennis Schroder. Of course, their trading with the Oklahoma City Thunder is said to have been driven by the expectation of Rondo moving on.

While the veteran point guard presumably will seek a contract more than a $2.6 million salary, he has openly said money is not a motivating factor at this stage in his career. Rondo is only the second player in NBA history to win a championship with the Lakers and Boston Celtics.

Lakers’ options with Rondo

The Lakers hold Rondo’s early bird rights, which allows them to offer a contract of up to the midlevel exception (just shy of $10 million). However, possibly doing so and dependent on other contracts with Caldwell-Pope and the like, will push the Lakers near the luxury tax and apron that in turn limits flexibility.

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Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Managing Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers games, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com