Grading the Atlanta Hawks’ signing of Rajon Rondo.
The Atlanta Hawks continued their busy offseason on Saturday, coming to terms with free-agent point guard Rajon Rondo. This came just hours after the team signed fellow point guard Kris Dunn and a day after signing forward Danilo Gallinari.
Reactions to the deal were mixed, to say the least. Some lauded the team for picking up a veteran ball-handler, finally filling the long-vacated void of backup point guard. But others questioned the fit and pointed to the modest-sized contract.
I fall into the latter camp for the most part. I understand the team drastically needed a backup point guard but did they need two? I really liked the Dunn addition, as the former Bull is seen as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
Rondo is, even at nearly 35 years of age, the better playmaker, but Dunn could have easily filled the short amount of time that Trae Young wasn’t going to be on the floor.
As mentioned, the fit is iffy here. With an incredibly lackluster 3-point shot, Rondo isn’t going to draw much attention from the defense without the ball in his hands. This would mean defenses could easily double-team Young if the two were playing together.
Free agent guard Rajon Rondo has agreed to a two-year, $15M contract with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) November 21, 2020
On the other hand, Rondo is a solid defender, at least when he tries. He can be the leader of the backcourt on that end of the court and does give the Hawks a much-needed veteran presence. That, I do like.
But that’s when Rondo tries. He has been known to take possessions off and sometimes even full games. “Playoff Rondo,” the guards’ alter-ego is very much a real thing. He plays harder (and better) in big games. In Atlanta, with only a handful of nationally televised games, will he have that winning mentality night in and night out?
In the end, I do like the defensive presence he brings, but the team already signed their defensive ace in Kris Dunn earlier the same day. The one thing you can’t take away is the playoff experience the two-time NBA champion brings to Atlanta.
And while the two-year, $15 million deal is a bit steeper than it probably should be, it’s far from an overpay.
Grade: C –
That’s what I’ll give the signing, but it’s definitely a wait-and-see situation. There’s no telling what version of Rondo will show up, which I guess is a bit exciting, if not worrisome.
What do you think of the Atlanta Hawks signing Rajon Rondo?