Soon-to-be free agent Rajon Rondo has been linked to teams such as the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers, but according to a new report, the Sacramento Kings are considered to be a "darkhorse" contender for him.
Rondo is expected to test free agency in July after finishing a dismal season with the Dallas Mavericks. Although the league's big-name teams are expected to be the frontrunners to sign him, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reported the Kings are in fact a contender for the mercurial point guard.
"A darkhorse location for Rajon Rondo in free agency is Sacramento, where the Kings are entering a pivotal year in their franchise and could use a bona fide point guard," Washburn wrote Sunday. "Darren Collison, coming off hip surgery, is the team's scheduled starter for next season. Rondo, who didn't appear interested in going to the Kings a few years ago, could use the club as a springboard to perhaps a larger contract if he signs a one-year deal."
Rondo, whom Kings forward Rudy Gay is close friends with, has been linked to the Kings before. He reportedly rebuffed the idea of going to Sacramento last summer when the team tried to trade the Boston Celtics for him.
There are only two scenarios in which Rondo passes on a team such as New York or Los Angeles to sign with Sacramento: One, the Knicks and the Lakers become no longer interested in signing him this summer, or two, Sacramento offers Rondo more money.
The latter scenario is the more likely of the two. Although both powerhouse teams reportedly want Rondo, neither team may be inclined to give him a max contract after his poor production in Dallas and in light of the fact the 29-year-old hasn't looked like himself since his ACL tear in 2013. The Kings, on the other hand, may be looking to make a splashy move under second-year owner Vivek Ranadive and could be more inclined to give a max-level deal to Rondo - especially with the salary cap expected to jump in 2016 - if that's what it took.
For his part, Rondo could pass on a four-year max with Sacramento in favor of a short-term deal that would allow him to reestablish his value. It could be a lucrative one- or two-year deal with Sacramento, or it could be a discount deal for a big-market team like New York or Los Angeles.
Another potential obstacle to a Rondo-Kings deal: the personalities of Rondo and coach George Karl may clash. A lot.
