The New Orleans Pelicans and veteran point guard Rajon Rondo have agreed on a one-year deal. According to Shams Charania, the 31-year-old Rondo decided to join the Pelicans Saturday. However, financial details of the contract were not available. The Pelicans will be Rondo’s fifth NBA team after suiting up for the Boston Celtics for eight years. He also played for the Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, and the Chicago Bulls, who waived him after just one year.
Last season, Rondo averaged just 7.8 points, 6.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game in the regular season, his lowest output since his rookie year.
In the playoffs, Rondo showed the form that made him one of the best playmakers in the NBA, averaging 11.5 points, 10.0 assists and 8.5 rebounds as the No. 8 Bulls stormed to a 2-0 lead over the top seed Boston Celtics. However, Rondo suffered a season-ending thumb injury as Chicago lost the next four games of the series.
Rondo is now reunited with former Kings teammate DeMarcus Cousins. Despite playing together just one season in Sacramento, Rondo and Cousins formed a strong bond that they have now. The Pelicans expect Rondo to bring out the best in Cousins as the Pelicans try to become a playoff contender in the Western Conference.
Bucks interested in veteran Derrick Rose
According to Lance Allan of NBC Milwaukee, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd is interested in signing Derrick Rose.
Chris Haynes of ESPN reported that Rose and the Bucks were trying to schedule a second meeting this weekend. A former MVP, Rose averaged 18.0 points in 64 games with the New York Knicks before a meniscus tear in his left knee ended his season. Rose recently met with the Los Angeles Clippers, while the Spurs are also interested in adding him while Tony Parker recovers from surgery.
Knicks eyeing Brandon Knight as mentor to rookie playmaker
The New York Knicks are reportedly interested in bringing in Brandon Knight as mentor to Frank Ntilikina, whom the franchise drafted eighth overall in the 2017 Draft. The 25-year-old Knight averaged 11 points and 2.4 assists in 25 minutes per game for the Phoenix Suns last season.
Knight is known as one of the NBA’s better shooters but knee injuries derailed his last two seasons. During the 2015-16 season, he played just 52 games with 50 starts. He lost his spot in the starting lineup as injuries limited him to just 54 games and five starts the following year.
