Lakers: Rajon Rondo Takes a Dig at Russell Westbrook
Rajon Rondo’s second stint the Lakers did not last long.
The veteran guard appeared in 18 games this season before being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in late-December. Rondo played second fiddle to Russell Westbrook and it might not be something he enjoyed.
In his introductory press conference with Cleveland, Rondo made an interesting comment about why he’s happy to be a Cavalier.
Out there with teammates that care and want to win, just playing hard."
Granted, this is an aggregation since Westbrook was never mentioned by name, but it’s not a stretch that Rondo’s statement relates to his frustration with Russ’s approach to the game.
Russ’s effort is unquestionable, but his style of play has been picked apart for years. Westbrook prioritizing his stats over wins has been a common critique of his game by executives and players alike. Russ’s uneven play has been a motif in the Lakers disappointing season so far.
Apparently, Rondo was disenchanted with a few players’ commitment to winning as the Lakers struggled to build chemistry.
Rondo clearly re-signed with the Lakers to compete for another championship with the purple and gold. Los Angeles didn’t sniff the top of the Western Conference standings during the point guard’s second Laker tenure. Los Angeles was 16-17 after a 138-110 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on December 23rd.
That game would end up being the veteran’s final game as a Laker.
Through Sunday, Cleveland is the sixth seed in the East (22-18). The 35-year-old has had a larger role in his first two games on a surprisingly competitive Cleveland team. After averaging 16.1 minutes per game with LA, Rondo is currently averaging 22.5 with the Cavaliers.
The Lakers needed to make changes. Evidently, Rondo needed to make a change too.
