Rajon Rondo has shown flashes of his former self with the Dallas Mavericks down the final stretch of the regular season and while he could still salvage a future with the team in this year’s playoffs, the more likely scenario has him finding a new team through NBA free agency this summer. The truth is that he’s still an elite point guard but he just hasn’t fit in well in Dallas and hasn’t meshed well with coach Rick Carlisle.
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Despite that his numbers are down across the board compared to his career averages, Rondo is still recognized as one of the better pure point guards in the game and somebody that could be a key piece for a contender looking to get to the next level. A number of teams expressed interest in Rondo when he was still a member of the Boston Celtics and if it gets to the point where he becomes a UFA, there will be even more teams that end up bidding for his services. From a fantasy perspective, there are a number of scenarios that better suit him than others. Here are three ideal landing spots:
Houston Rockets
The Rockets pushed hard for the opportunity to acquire Rondo from the Celtics and while they missed out on a potential trade move, they will undoubtedly see what they can do to add him to an already talented roster this summer. Dwight Howard has struggled to stay healthy but if he can perform at a high level in the playoffs with James Harden playing at an MVP level, then this Houston team could be something special. The addition of Rondo to the mix would add another element to a roster that is already very dangerous. Many people seem to feel that point guard is one of the true weak spots on this team, though. Rondo would be a clear upgrade over Patrick Beverly.
With less pressure for Rondo to score in Houston, he’d be a great facilitator for Harden, Howard and everyone else.
Oklahoma City Thunder
At first glance, it might seem silly to suggest a team that already has one of the NBA’s elite point guards would be interested in acquiring Rondo but a closer look at the potential situation, it reveals that it could very well be an excellent fit. The acquisition of Rondo would allow Oklahoma City to plug Russell Westbrook in as the team’s starting shooting guard and with Kevin Durant back healthy a starting five featuring Rondo, Westbrook, Durant, Serge Ibaka and Enes Kanter would have to be considered among the favorites in the Western Conference. It would also allow the Thunder to bring Dion Waiters off the bench, so they’d get a strong boost in their secondary unit.
While it seems like a farfetched idea in some regards, if the Thunder are truly looking to make one final push at a title, throwing some money at Rondo would make sense. And for Rondo’s fantasy value…what better situation can you ask for than having a man who averages nearly double-digits assists over the last six years playing alongside two scoring champs?
New York Knicks
The Knicks are an interesting option as well when you consider that despite their bottoming out this year, they will have Carmelo Anthony back next season as well as potentially two big name free agents and the first overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. New York has a ton of cap space to use and both Rondo and DeAndre Jordan have been talked about as two potential targets on Phil Jackson’s list. A starting five that features Rondo, Anthony, Jahlil Okafor and Jordan would automatically become one of the best in the Eastern Conference.
It would also be an excellent fit for Rondo in terms of his fantasy potential as he’d get all of the minutes he can handle for a team that needs him badly. In Dallas, he shares time with Monta Ellis, J.J. Barea and even Devin Harris. In New York, he’d be the man.
