Kobe Bryant Still Plans To Recruit Rajon Rondo To The Lakers
Kobe Bryant really wants to play with Rajon Rondo.
The speculation of Bryant’s recruiting efforts heightened when the two had breakfast during the Lakers’ visit to Boston this season. The Lakers even went and made their offer to the Celtics for Rondo when he was on the trade circuit, but Boston liked Mark Cuban and the Mavericks’ offer better.
But Rondo is still going to be an unrestricted free agent this upcoming summer, and even though he’s landed in an excellent situation in Dallas, Kobe Bryant won’t stop probing.
Via Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald:
Bryant took particular interest in the late-December trade of Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks. He and Rondo had breakfast together when the Lakers were in Boston early last month, and it was widely assumed that Bryant was doing a little early recruiting on the point guard who becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
While Mavericks owner Mark Cuban expressed confidence his club can and will sign Rondo to a new deal, Bryant told the Herald he’s not about to cease working on getting him to LA.
“No way,” Bryant said. “I’m not done. I’m not stopping until he signs an extension.”
There’s no going back for Kobe. This is literally the end of the line, thus making this the most important offseason of his career if he wants a chance to compete in the final year of his contract. That being said, and given his current surroundings, he needs to try everything.
The Lakers will target every talented free agent on the market this summer – Nick Young is already in Goran Dragic’s ear. Retirement may be on Kobe’s mind, but if the Lakers are still able to salvage together a competitive unit through the draft and free agency, I’m sure he’ll consider it worth it for one last go round.
