LOS ANGELES — The Lakers valued roster flexibility within the second over potential playoff contributions sooner or later when it got here to buying and selling Rajon Rondo, L.A. coach Frank Vogel defined Monday.

L.A. despatched out Rondo, a few gamers stashed abroad and $1.1 million, sources instructed ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, as a part of a three-team cope with the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks on Monday. The commerce landed Rondo with the Cavs; Denzel Valentine, draft rights to Brad Newley (54th choose in 2007), L.A.’s draft rights to Wang Zhelin (57th choose in 2016) and money to the Knicks (New York later waived Valentine); and introduced New York’s draft rights to Louis Labeyrie (57th choose in 2014) again to the Lakers.

With Labeyrie not becoming a member of the crew, the transfer opened up a roster spot for L.A., which had been carrying the utmost allotment of 15 full-time gamers, two two-way gamers and to not point out a handful of gamers who cycled by the locker room on 10-day hardship exemptions due to all of the gamers unavailable on account of COVID-19 protocols.

“Clearly the flexibility to have flexibility with the roster spot for what we’ve coming ahead, which remains to be unknown, I believe Rob [Pelinka] simply noticed worth in that,” Vogel Mentioned of the Lakers’ vice chairman of basketball operations and normal supervisor.

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As a 16-year veteran, Rondo was making the utmost veteran’s minimal of near $2.6 million. By conserving the roster spot open, L.A. may save almost $4 million in wage plus luxurious tax charges. Or, L.A. may fill the spot with a youthful veteran making much less cash on a veteran’s minimal contract based mostly on his expertise — like seven-year vet Stanley Johnson, whose 10-day hardship contract with L.A. expired Monday — and nonetheless get monetary savings from what the crew would have paid conserving Rondo.

Vogel mentioned the Lakers are “companions” with all of the gamers on their crew and discovering Rondo a possibility to “have extra of a task within the rotation” made him joyful. Vogel mentioned that when Rondo signed a deal within the offseason to return to the Lakers after spending final season with the Atlanta Hawks and LA Clippers, there was an understanding that he wouldn’t play a lot.

“It will be extra of a non-playing function, a third-string level guard function, however to make use of his I.Q. and intelligence,” Vogel mentioned. “And that can definitely be missed.”

Rondo, who will put on No. 1 for the Cavs, joins a Cleveland crew that not too long ago misplaced its backup level guard, Ricky Rubio, to a season-ending ACL tear and was already taking part in with out guard Collin Sexton, who underwent season-ending surgical procedure on his left knee in November.

Rondo, 35, averaged 3.1 factors, 3.7 assists and a pair of.7 rebounds in 16.1 minutes per sport for L.A. this season and appeared in 18 video games. The Lakers went simply 5-13 within the video games he appeared in and the final time he performed for L.A. was Dec. 23 earlier than he entered into the league’s well being and security protocols.

The manufacturing was a far cry from the influence “Playoff Rondo” had on the Lakers within the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida when he averaged 8.9 factors on 40% taking pictures from 3, 6.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 steals en path to the title.

“Rondo means the world to me,” Vogel mentioned. “He is certainly one of my favourite gamers I’ve ever coached. He was an integral a part of us profitable the championship two years in the past, me profitable my first championship and he’ll at all times be a particular participant and particular buddy to me. So I want nothing however one of the best to him for now and we’ll proceed to remain in contact and whatnot.”

The factor is, nearing the midpoint of the season and sitting at No. 7 within the Western Convention with a 19-19 report, there may not be a postseason run L.A. hoped to have Rondo round for except it makes strikes to shore up the roster with gamers that may assist it compete proper now.

“It wasn’t like we wished to depart from Rondo,” Vogel mentioned. “But it surely’s simply a kind of front-office choices that you must make tough choices and to lose a man like Rondo is clearly very tough.”

Johnson, 25, averaged 6.8 factors on 45.8%, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals within the 5 video games he performed for L.A., making three begins. He was lauded for his toughness and dedication to the defensive finish as L.A. has adjusted on the fly to nearly solely taking part in with small ball lineups whereas Anthony Davis is out with a sprained MCL in his left knee.

“When it comes to what’s subsequent, we nonetheless do not know,” Vogel mentioned. “Rob and Kurt [Rambis] are going to make these choices as they see match and that can all play out within the subsequent few days. We nonetheless hope to have [Johnson] again for some extra video games. All these solutions will reveal themselves over the following few days.”

Darren Collison’s 10-day hardship contract with the Lakers additionally expired and he was not with the crew on Monday. L.A. at the moment has zero gamers in well being and security protocols.

The following few days are important in relation to guard Avery Bradley’s contract, too. The rest of his $2.6 veteran’s minimal deal turns into absolutely assured if the Lakers don’t waive him by Friday.

Bradley is averaging 6.4 factors, 2.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals per sport whereas taking pictures 40% from 3. He is began in 25 of the 30 video games he is appeared in for L.A. after signing a non-guaranteed deal to return to L.A. as soon as the Golden State Warriors lower him throughout coaching camp.

“Over the stints we have had him in uniform he is performed extraordinarily nicely for us,” LeBron James mentioned of Bradley on Sunday. “When he is on the ground he simply makes performs on each ends of the ground.”