In a recent segment on ESPN Radio, Ramona Shelburne reported that Rajon Rondo is a strong candidate to join the Los Angeles Lakers if bought out by the Memphis Grizzlies, and DeAndre Jordan could also be pursued by the Lakers if he is bought out by Brooklyn.
Both of these players are former Clippers, and both of them are well past their prime. Rajon Rondo appeared in 13 playoff games for the Clippers this past season, and averaged 4.2 PPG on 34% from the field. DeAndre Jordan did not appear in a single playoff game for the Brooklyn Nets last season, after falling out of the rotation once the Nets acquired his former teammate Blake Griffin.
For Rondo, a buyout seems nearly inevitable. Rondo has just one year left on his contract, making a buyout relatively easy to facilitate. The Memphis Grizzlies feature a young backcourt that likely will not have available minutes for Rondo, and they are also unlikely to be in championship contention this season, which is something Rondo likely desires at this point in his career. For DeAndre Jordan, the situation is less clear.
Jordan is owed nearly $20M over the next two seasons, making the logistics of a buyout much more complicated. The outcome of DJ's situation in Brooklyn will likely be dependent on what his priorities are at this point in his career. If he remains with the Nets, he will likely see little to no playing time, but will collect $9.8M per year and have a great chance at winning a ring. Just looking at the situation for what it is, it seems as if the Nets would likely desire a buyout with Jordan much more than he would desire a breakup with them; however, this is once again dependent on what his priorities are.
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