Last season, there was questions about how much money Rajon Rondo would be making in the summer of 2015. He was at the end of his five-year, $55 million contract with the Boston Celtics when the 2014-15 season began. He was the last player remaining from the Celtics’ 2008 NBA championship team and appeared to want an extension with the team. Things fell apart and Rondo reportedly turned down a five-year extension estimated to pay close to $70 million in hopes of landing a maximum contract. Boston didn’t bite and they instead sent him to the Dallas Mavericks.
Well, we all know how horribly that went and Rondo’s value took a huge nose dive due to his short stint in Dallas, looking like a shell of himself in the Big D.
His value was as low as ever but there was still one team who was very interested since he was reportedly made available last year. The Sacramento Kings rode with their interest in Rondo until this summer when they could actually sign him to a deal.
Following from Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
New Kings president Vlade Divac targeted Rondo from the start of free agency. He valued Rondo’s past as a “winner” over his struggles in Dallas and felt an experienced, veteran point guard would help Cousins. The Kings also explored trading for Rondo last year.
“I knew he was going to be available,” Divac told Yahoo Sports. “He was my first choice when I went after some free agents. Honestly, we weren’t a perfect destination in free agency and that was something we could take advantage of. He works well for us.
“We have things to turn around. I was very honest with him. I knew people were talking. But this is a great opportunity not only for him, but for us. Honestly, we were probably the first ones to approach. Everyone was scared. I wasn’t. As a player, I knew what he could do.”
Rondo’s one-year deal with the Kings is viewed as a deal to rehab Rajon’s image in the NBA. Whether or not he makes any big strides going forward remains to be seen but Rondo does have a lot to prove this season, no matter what he or the Kings think.
Rondo doesn’t have any issues with George Karl, yet, or DeMarcus Cousins, yet, but who knows what could happen. The one year deal leaves the possibility of Rondo returning to the Kings or signing elsewhere if a team ends up being without a playmaking point guard for one reason or another. Rondo will never be a player deserving of a max contract again but with all the money in the NBA over the next few years, anything is possible.
