Is Rajon Rondo worth the money for the LA Clippers?

Is Rajon Rondo worth the money for the LA Clippers?

Two things are true. The LA Clippers need another playmaker on their roster and Rajon Rondo is a free agent. Seems like a match made in heaven, right? The Clippers have already reportedly expressed interest in the free-agent guard who is coming off a solid season that culminated in a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. On the court, the pairing makes sense.

But is he worth the money?

Here’s what we know: The Clippers have a lot of cap space tied up and will need to prioritize re-signing some of their guys like Marcus Morris. If they do that though, they will be reduced to just the mini mid-level exception. This mini MLE gives them around $5 million to sign free agents with.

We also know that Rajon Rondo is opting out of his player option of $2.6 million because he believes he can get more money on the open market.

If the Clippers give Rondo most of or all of their mini MLE, they will have no other options outside of trades or the veteran’s minimum contracts to add players to their roster. That’s tough to swallow. Granted, the point guard market in free agency isn’t great. If someone like Rondo is the best you can get, maybe the team does just pony up the cash. He would add value to the bench as a playmaker and veteran.

There are other holes that will need to be addressed. If Montrezl Harrell leaves, the team will be in desperate need of a backup big man. That market is much more flushed with talent in the free agency market and the money might be better spent on someone like Tristan Thompson or Serge Ibaka. Personally, I’d much rather go this route instead of signing Rondo.

If Rondo is demanding too much money, the Clippers should ignore their interest in him and spend their money in a more reasonable way while also trying to pursue a trade for a playmaker. If they can’t get one that way, they can always bring back Reggie Jackson and explore options throughout the year.