The Los Angeles Clippers made one of the most shocking moves this trade deadline by acquiring two-time NBA champion Rajon Rondo from the Atlanta Hawks for 16-year veteran Lou Williams.
It was a surprising deal to say the least—the Clippers gave up one of their longest tenured players for a point guard that could help them down the line. Was this the right deal?
To be frank, I think Rondo will help the Clippers a lot especially come playoff time. He’s one of the most intelligent players in the league and was a monumental piece to the Lakers’ title run last season. A championship pedigree point guard who can remove the pressure off Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to handle the ball especially during clutch time. Leonard had hinted a couple of times for a player who can make adjustments on the fly which is exactly who Rondo is.
Rondo is a better passer than Williams. He can set up plays for his teammates especially for guys like Luke Kennard, Terrance Mann, Marcus Morris and the Clippers’ pool of impressive three point shooters. He’s also an underrated rebounder and has the ability to read the opposing team’s offensive and defensive sets before it even happens. But here’s the catch: this version of Rondo appears best only during the playoffs.
Rondo’s regular season numbers so far have been bad. After coming off an impressive playoff run, the point guard is averaging only 3.9 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game this season. Big yikes. Clippers reporter and analyst Justin Russo also pointed out that Rondo has not attempted a free throw since January 24 and has played 298 minutes since.
This is a far cry compared to what the Clippers get from Williams on a regular basis.
Williams this season was averaging 12.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists for the Clippers.
Whether or not it was worth risking Williams for Rondo will only be determined come playoff time. However, if there’s one “mistake” or perhaps the head scratcher in this deal, it’s the assets the Clippers had to give up for Rondo.
Rondo’s contract wasn’t exactly the most appealing—he’s currently in a two-year 15 million dollar deal—which the Clippers had to reciprocate the deal by sacrificing their 2023 second pic from Portland and their own 2027 second round pick.
This just means more lost draft picks for the Clippers as if they had more to lose.
The Clippers made a bold move to give up one of their longest tenured players and draft picks for Rondo. It will be interesting to watch how Rondo takes over Williams’ role as the locker room veteran leader as well.
Ultimately, the key for the two time champion is to blend with the already impressive offensive system of the Clippers and be that floor general for them when time matters. Until then, it will be interesting to see if this trade was worth the gamble.
Follow Us
Subscribe