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Rajon Rondo found success in New Orleans during the 2017-18 season and reaffirmed his place in the league as a savvy veteran. The Pelicans looked like a great fit and it was expected that Rondo would re-sign.
Apparently, Rondo was in the process of working on a deal when he blindsided them. After the Los Angeles Lakers offered Rondo a one-year deal worth $9 million, the veteran point guard gave New Orleans five minutes to make a decision. Clearly, Rondo's mind was made up.
Joel Myers saying that Rondo gave the Pelicans 5 minutes, to make a decision after he told them about the Lakers deal..Wow. Pelicans totally blindsided by his decision & we're working on a 2-year agreement with him, but weren't even allowed to match the one-year offer.
— 🏀JASON in NOLA North🌎 (@jltunme) July 31, 2018
The Pelicans were an excellent fit for Rondo. He was able to flourish alongside another veteran guard, Jrue Holliday. Not to mention, he had one of the premier players in the NBA at his disposal in Anthony Davis.
But when push came to shove, Rondo fled for greener pastures in Los Angeles. The 32-year-old guard jumped at the opportunity to play with LeBron James in LA and he barely gave New Orleans the opportunity to change his mind.
What ultimately swayed Rondo's decision is still an unknown, but it could be a number of different factors. Of course, playing with James is the obvious answer. But perhaps he was intrigued by the LA lifestyle or maybe he wanted to play with any number of the budding young stars on the Lakers.
Whatever it was that coaxed Rondo to sign with the Lakers, it came at the expense of the Pelicans. New Orleans brought in Elfrid Payton to replace Rondo and there's no doubt that the Pels would rather have Rondo running the show.
