Free agent point guard Rajon Rondo has agreed to a one-year deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, according to a report by Shams Charania of The Vertical.
Rondo played last season with the Chicago Bulls, averaging 7.8 points and 6.7 assists in 26.7 minutes per game. After playing his first eight seasons with the Celtics, Rondo spent time with the Mavericks, Kings, Bulls and now Pelicans since 2015.
Rondo was rumored to be a target of the Knicks, Lakers and Clippers until two days ago meeting with the Pelicans to discuss this deal. There was some thought that Rondo could lead to the Pelicans becoming a third team in a potential Rockets-Knicks trade centered around Carmelo Anthony, but that line of thinking has died down.
Rondo proved two years ago he can still run an offense at a high level, leading the league by averaging 11.7 assists per game with the Kings. The fit in Chicago was far from perfect alongside Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade and Rondo was in and out of the starting lineup all season, starting in 42 of 69 games.
Two years ago, Rondo was a teammate of DeMarcus Cousins' in Sacramento and the two seemingly coexisted well. That may have influenced this move as New Orleans is hoping to prove a place where Cousins will want to be long-term alongside Anthony Davis.