Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

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Hawks sign Rajon Rondo

The Atlanta Hawks have signed free agent guard Rajon Rondo, the team announced today.

Rondo’s Hawks contract is reportedly a two-year, $15 million deal.

“Rajon is an intense competitor, a proven winner and a true student of the game,” said Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk. “His resume and experience speak for themselves. We’re excited to add him to our group.”

Rondo, a two-time NBA champion (including in 2020 with the Lakers), four-time All-Star and two-time NBA All-Defensive First Team member, has led the NBA in assists three times and in steals once.

Per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Rondo, 34, will bring a veteran presence and playoff experience to a young Hawks team trying to qualify for the postseason this year.”

In 873 career regular season games (729 starts) with Boston, Dallas, Sacramento, Chicago, New Orleans and the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s averaged 10.2 points, 8.3 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 31.0 minutes (.458 FG%, .316 3FG%, .606 FT%). The 6-foot-1 Rondo has 121 games of career postseason experience (105 starting assignments), averaging 13.3 points, 9.0 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals in 35.9 minutes (.444 FG%, .320 3FG%, .648 FT%).

Among active NBA players, Rondo ranks fourth in assists (7,215, 15th overall in NBA history) and sixth in steals (1,451).

The 21st overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft by Phoenix, Rondo was traded to the Celtics on draft night. He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors in 2010 and 2011, All-Defensive Second Team in 2009 and 2012, Third Team All-NBA in 2012 and Second Team All-Rookie in 2007.

As a collegiate player at Kentucky, the Louisville native appeared in 68 games over two seasons, averaging 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.3 steals in 28.1 minutes (.493 FG%, .283 3FG%, .577 FT%).

More from the Journal-Constitution: “He also will fill a hole on the Hawks’ roster as a secondary playmaker and ballhandler behind Trae Young. That was one of three major problems the Hawks had to solve entering the 2020 season – improved 3-point percentage (which the Danilo Gallinari signing addresses), improved defense (which the Kris Dunn signing addresses) and preventing the offense from stalling when Young goes to the bench, something the Rondo signing can help with if he gives the second unit a boost.”

He will wear jersey No. 7.

Lakers re-sign Markieff Morris

The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed forward Markieff Morris, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Per multiple reports, Morris’ contract is a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum.

Morris played in 14 games (one start) for the Lakers last season, averaging 5.3 points and 3.2 rebounds in 14.2 minutes. In 21 playoff games (two starts) for Los Angeles, Morris shot a team-high 42.0 percent from three-point range and notched 5.9 points (.449 FG%), 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist.

Morris has played in 637 career games (348 starts) for the Suns, Wizards, Thunder, Pistons and Lakers, with averages of 11.4 points (.448 FG%), 5.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 25.5 minutes.

Lakers sign Montrezl Harrell

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed center Montrezl Harrell.

Per multiple reports, the contract is a mid-level exception deal for two years, $19 million.

The Lakers recently lost center Dwight Howard in free agency to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Harrell, the 2019-20 NBA Sixth Man Award winner, played in 63 games (two starts) for the LA Clippers last season and averaged 18.6 points (.580 FG%), 7.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.1 blocks in 27.8 minutes per game. Harrell finished second in bench scoring behind Dennis Schröder and recorded a league-high 11 double-doubles off the bench.

Per the Los Angeles Times, “with Harrell, [Wesley] Matthews and the trade for point guard Dennis Schroder from Oklahoma City for Danny Green and the draft rights to Jaden McDaniels, the Lakers vastly improved their roster and put themselves in good position to defend their NBA championship.”

Harrell has played 318 career games (25 starts) for Houston and the Clippers, with averages of 12.7 points (.614 FG%), 4.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 20.9 minutes. He is the only player to tally more than 1,000 points and 400 rebounds as a reserve in each of the last two seasons and leads the NBA with 28 double-doubles off the bench during that span.

Lakers re-sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Per the Los Angeles Times, the contract is for $40 million over three years.

Playing in 69 games (26 starts) for the Lakers last season, Caldwell-Pope averaged 9.3 points (.467 FG%), 2.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 25.5 minutes per game. Caldwell-Pope led the team in three-point percentage, shooting a career-best 38.5 percent from beyond the arc. He is the fifth Lakers player to net 90 or more three-pointers in three or more individual seasons with the Lakers (joining Kobe Bryant, Nick Van Exel, Derek Fisher, Eddie Jones), having done so in each of his first three seasons in Los Angeles.

More from the Times: “Caldwell-Pope’s ability to defend and make three-pointers, something he did well for the Lakers during the season and in the playoffs, were two reasons why L.A. wanted the 6-foot-5 guard to return.”

Caldwell-Pope started all 21 playoff games last season, notching 10.7 points (.418 FG%, .378 3FG%), 2.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steal in 29.0 minutes. He owns career averages of 11.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals in 539 games (397 starts) for the Pistons and Lakers.

Lakers sign Wesley Matthews

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Wesley Matthews, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Per the Los Angeles Times, the deal is for “the bi-annual exception, a one-year deal for $3.6 million.”

Matthews played and started in 67 games for Milwaukee last season, averaging 7.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 24.4 minutes per game. In 10 playoff games, Matthews notched 7.2 points (.421 FG%) and 1.8 rebounds in 24.6 minutes.

An 11-year NBA veteran, Matthews has played in 791 games (729 starts) for Utah, Portland, Dallas, New York, Indiana and Milwaukee, and owns career averages of 13.1 points (.423 FG%, .381 3FG%), 3.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal in 31.9 minutes. Ranking 25th on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers list (1,663), Matthews has made more three-pointers than any undrafted player in NBA history.

More from the Times: “Matthews is a versatile defender, able to defend point guards, shooting guards and small forwards.”

Lakers and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope agree to a deal

The Lakers and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are sticking together, and this time on a longer deal than they’ve agreed to in the past. Via the LA Times:

The Lakers agreed to re-sign guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year contract, keeping one of their most valuable players from this year‘s championship run in purple and gold.

The deal is worth $40 million, according to people with knowledge of the agreement not authorized to speak publicly.

Caldwell-Pope is represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports, the agency that also represents LeBron James, Anthony Davis and new Laker Montrezl Harrell.

Heat and Avery Bradley reportedly agree to a contract

Former Lakers guard Avery Bradley, who declined to rejoin the team for the Disney NBA bubble due to family coronavirus safety reasons, will be joining the team they beat in the 2020 NBA Finals. Via the Miami Herald:

The Miami Heat will sign veteran guard Avery Bradley to a free-agent deal, a league source said to the Miami Herald.

Bradley’s two-year contract includes a team option in the second year.

Bradley, who will turn 30 on Thanksgiving, is a skilled three-point shooter and considered one of the league’s better defensive guards.

After guard Goran Dragic and center Meyers Leonard agreed to return to the Miami Heat in the opening minutes of free agent negotiations Friday night, the Heat received commitments from outside free agents Maurice Harkless and Bradley on Saturday.

Lakers to reportedly sign Montrezl Harrell

An excellent NBA big-man is changing teams but not cities. The OC Register:

In a stunner, Montrezl Harrell – one of the most productive players and biggest personalities from the last few Clippers teams – is headed across the Staples Center hallway.

The Lakers have agreed to a two-year, $19 million deal with Harrell, the reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year, and until recently, one of the team’s most vocal rivals. The deal was first reported by ESPN.

Arguably the biggest splash of the Lakers’ offseason so far, Harrell averaged a career-best 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds in 63 games last season with just two starts. While he hit a wall in the playoffs last season after missing nearly a month of the NBA “bubble,” Harrell figures to be a productive off-the-bench scorer for his new team in the same city.

Lakers trade Danny Green to Thunder for Dennis Schroder

The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired guard Dennis Schröder from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for Danny Green and the draft rights to Jaden McDaniels.

Schröder averaged 18.9 points, 4.0 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 65 games (two starts) for Oklahoma City last season. Additionally, he led the league in points scored off the bench and finished second in NBA Sixth Man Award voting, while shooting career highs in field goal percentage (.469) and three-point percentage (.385). Schröder owns career averages of 14.1 points, 4.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds in seven seasons with Atlanta and Oklahoma City.

Drafted 17th overall by the Hawks in the 2013 NBA Draft, Schröder has appeared in 46 postseason games (six starts) throughout his career, averaging 13.1 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game.

Lakers waive Quinn Cook

The Los Angeles Lakers today waived guard Quinn Cook.

Cook reportedly had a $3 million salary with the Lakers last season, and reportedly would have made that around that same amount had the team kept him next season.

Cook appeared in 44 games (one start) for the Lakers last season, averaging 5.1 points (.425 FG%), 1.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 11.5 minutes per game. He notched 2.2 points per game in six playoff appearances for Los Angeles. Cook has played in 165 regular season games (29 starts) for the Mavericks, Pelicans, Warriors and Lakers, with career averages of 6.8 points (.463 FG%), 1.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 15.1 minutes.