FULE — LeBron James and Rajon Rondo #9 of the Los Angeles Lakers react. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images/AFP
Rajon Rondo is reuniting with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN, which reported Monday that the veteran point guard will sign a one-year, $2.6 million deal.
Rondo originally joined the Lakers as a free agent in 2018 and played a complementary role on their championship-winning team in 2019-20.
He then joined the Atlanta Hawks via free agency but after 27 games, he was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in March. The Clippers dealt Rondo to Memphis earlier this month in the Eric Bledsoe trade.
The Grizzlies, as expected, bought out the final year of Rondo’s contract on Saturday, making him a free agent.
Rondo is expected to formally sign with the Lakers on Tuesday, ESPN reported.
The 35-year-old veteran has spent 15 seasons in the NBA — the first 8 1/2 with the Boston Celtics and the last 6 1/2 with seven different franchises. He was a key part of the Celtics’ 2007-08 championship team. The four-time All-Star owns career averages of 10 points, 8.1 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals.
Last season, he put up a combined 5.4 points, 4.4 assists and 2.4 rebounds per game for the Hawks and Clippers.