Lakers Acquiring Denzel Valentine For Rajon Rondo, But Will He Stick Around?
Say goodbye to 2020 Finals superstar Rajon Rondo.
That's right, Los Angeles Lakers fans, the veteran point guard is on the move from LA once again. This time, as we first heard yesterday, the Lakers are shipping Rondo and his guaranteed $2.6 million veteran's minimum contract to Cleveland.
In return, the Cleveland Cavaliers are sending back the non-guaranteed salary of shooting guard Denzel Valentine, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. After the Chicago Bulls opted not to retain Valentine, he signed a two-year, $4.1 million partially-guaranteed deal with Cleveland during the 2021 offseason. Woj writes that the Lakers are expected to cut Valentine's non-guaranteed contract upon completing the move to open up a roster spot.
Bobby Marks of ESPN details the modest trade exceptions that the Lakers and Cavaliers will carve out in the swap. Valentine will have earned $847,072 this season if released today by LA, giving Cleveland an $847K traded player exception. The Lakers, meanwhile, will earn a $1.7 million TPE in the exchange.
As we detailed yesterday, trading away Rondo could abet the Lakers when it comes to retaining a much more useful player, 25-year-old tweener forward Stanley Johnson. Signed to a 10-day deal on Christmas Eve using a hardship exception, Johnson immediately proved his mettle. He's averaging 7.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.7 blocks in three games, across 27.3 minutes per. A rugged, athletic defender, the 6'6" University of Arizona alum, an LA native, fulfills a significant need on the wing (and at the power forward position) for this Lakers club. The 35-year-old Rondo, who has appeared in just 18 games, is no longer a part of the Lakers' rotation when everyone is healthy.
Rondo's disappointing second stint with the Lakers was not nearly as exciting as the first. Across 16.1 minutes per night, the 6'1" Kentucky alum averaged 3.1 points, 3.7 assists and 2.7 rebounds on .324/.267/.500 shooting splits.
This is a terrific around-the-margins move for LA, and shows that the reeling 17-19 Lakers (and their front office, led by Rob Pelinka) are willing to accept the cold hard reality that not all the really, really old veterans they signed to minimum deals over the summer to shore up their roster can still contribute. Prioritizing roster flexibility is exactly what LA should be doing around the periphery. Our fingers are crossed that a long-term deal, keeping Johnson a Laker through the rest of the season, is on the horizon.
Given that Cleveland has lost its best two point guards, Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio, to season-ending knee injuries within the last two months, Rondo should enjoy a larger role with the Cavaliers in the short-term. The 20-14 Cavaliers are currently the fifth seed in the East, and looking to remain competitive as the postseason nears. Rondo is still a capable passer and ball handler, though his scoring has taken a nosedive and he is no longer the elite defender he was in his prime.
The 28-year-old Valentine, a Michigan State University product, was selected with the 14th pick in the 2016 draft by the Bulls. Following five injury-plagued, defense-free seasons with Chicago, Valentine moved on this summer. In 22 games with the Cavaliers, Valentine functioned as a fringe rotation player. He held averages of 2.9 points (while shooting 40.9% on 2.0 three-point attempts a night) and 1.7 rebounds in 9.3 minutes.
