Despite already hiring JJ Redick as their new head coach, the Los Angeles Lakers have yet to finalize the team’s coaching staff for the new season. Several names have already popped up as potential candidates, with the Lakers reportedly looking to hire former head coaches with a lot of experience under their respective belts.
One former player who does not fall into this category is Rajon Rondo. The former Lakers guard, however, had a memorable 16-year playing career as a player, so you just know that this man knows NBA basketball through and through.
Los Angeles Lakers Considering Rajon Rondo for Coaching Position
According to team insider Anthony Irwin of Lakers Daily, Rondo is currently considered as a coaching candidate for LA. The four-time All-Star, who was an integral part of the Lakers’ 2020 championship run, would potentially be hired as part of Redick’s coaching staff.
“Rajon Rondo has also come up as a possibility for Redick’s staff, but sources say the Lakers are split on him internally. He can be a flammable personality and had legal issues that would come with him, but LeBron James and Anthony Davis would both welcome his voice back in the locker room,” Irwin wrote.
The Chris Paul Factor
Apart from his polarizing persona, another thing holding the Lakers back on bringing in Rondo is the possibility of signing Chris Paul, who is expected to become a free agent after failing to negotiate a new deal with the Golden State Warriors:
“Sources also say that, should Chris Paul become a free agent, the Lakers would be very interested. There’s no love lost between Paul and Rondo, though, and while both are considered professional enough to work together, there are people in the Lakers organization who would rather not have their rookie coach have to worry about that relationship on top of everything else that comes with learning on the fly,” Irwin wrote.
Rondo would be a high-profile addition for the Lakers’ coaching staff, but if they’re looking for coaching experience — something that Redick himself has none of — Rondo is not their guy.
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