Report: Rajon Rondo opting out of Lakers contract

The Lakers re-signing Rajon Rondo – even to only a minimum-salary contract – final offseason drew skepticism. He was such a horrible match with LeBron James. And the Lakers gave Rondo a two-year deal – with a participant possibility!

However Rondo, 12 years after he received with the Celtics, proved he might nonetheless assist a championship group. He improved his on-court chemistry with LeBron. And Rondo particularly stepped up within the title-clinching Sport 6 of the NBA Finals.

Now, it’s time to receives a commission.

Chris Sheridan of BasketballNews.com:

Rajon Rondo will choose out of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers to change into an unrestricted free agent, BasketballNews.com realized on Thursday.

Rondo’s participant possibility is value $2,692,991 subsequent season. Although that’s the minimal, he’s taking a slight danger by opting out.

He was set to earn the minimal for the second 12 months of a contract – 5% greater than the first-year minimal. Now, his minimal for subsequent season would be the first-year minimal.

That was $2,564,753 this season. If the wage cap stays the identical, that can presumably stay the first-year minimal wage with a participant of Rondo’s expertise stage (10-plus seasons).

The wage cap might additionally drop because of coronavirus and the financial fallout. Presumably, minimal salaries would additionally decline by a commensurate quantity.

After all, Rondo isn’t essentially in line for one more minimal contract. Generally, gamers get pigeonholed as minimal guys. However the Lakers paid Rondo $9 million simply two seasons in the past.

Right here’s guessing the Lakers, who maintain his Early Chook Rights and have little salary-cap flexibility in any other case, reward Rondo with a elevate over his player-option wage. However that’s removed from assured. By opting out, Rondo opens loads of potentialities.