The Los Angeles Clippers acquire Rajon Rondo from the Atlanta Hawks for Lou Williams and two second-round picks, such as Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Charania initially reported that the deal was coming and that Williams might end up on a third team rather than the Hawks. Instead, it looks like he’s headed to Atlanta as the team continues to climb the Eastern Conference rankings.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that the Clippers are interested in Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry, to find the playmaker they badly needed. The addition of Rondo would probably take her out of the Lowry race.
Rondo has averaged career lows (3.9) and assists (3.5), but that’s in large part because he plays a career low of 14.9 minutes per game. His 11.6 assists per 100 possessions match his number with the Los Angeles Lakers last year according to the basketball reference.
The 35-year-old has a lot of post-season experience and won last season with the Lakers and Boston Celtics won one title each in its second season (2007-08). Through 121 career postseason appearances, he has averaged 13.3 points and 9.0 assists.
Rondo doesn’t have to take on too many offensive duties for the Clippers, and his presence will help ease the strain on Paul George and Kawhi Lessen Leonard to ease the offense.
Hawks trading Rondo admit it was a mistake to sign him five months ago. He’s a better fit for a playoff team that needs him in the final minutes with the ball anyway.
Meanwhile, the Hawks don’t have to worry about Rondo’s $ 7.5 million salary for the next season and get one for it expiring contract.
Lou Williams is a three-time 6th Man of the Year most closely associated with Jamal Crawford.
The Hawks averaged the second smallest bank PPG in the NBA this season (31.2). https://t.co/ljDusc2E5u
Williams’ scoring average (12.1 points per game) has been down since his first three years with the Clippers, but the 34-year-old shoots 42.1 percent off the field and 37.8 percent from outside the arch. He can carry out the offense even if Trae Young is not on the ground.
The move from Rondo to Williams is a net defensive negative, which is an issue for a team that ranked 18th, according to NBA.com 3rd place in the defensive ranking (111.9) occupied. Overall, the Hawks could be a little better after this step.
◾️ Get Mavs: J.J. Redick, Nicolo Melli
◾️ Pelicans got: James Johnson, Wes Iwundu and 2nd choice (Shams)
Ref: https://bleacherreport.com
