Rajon Rondo had a strong postseason with the New Orleans Pelicans, at times looking like his vintage, Boston Celtics self. But LaVar Ball doesn't see Rondo—who recently signed with the Lakers—as competition to his son, Lonzo. The Ball patriarch is confident Lonzo will maintain his starting spot. In a recent interview, LaVar called Rondo a "little backup."
LaVar shared his perspective on the two point guards during an appearance on CNN—because of course he was on CNN.
"That don't mean nothing," Ball said of L.A. adding Rondo. "Just got another teammate. Another teammate, that's all. A little backup, that's good."
Chris Cuomo followed up by asking whether LaVar was worried about the competition.
"Man, I never worry about competition because I know my boys are better than that," he responded.
Rumors have indicated the Lakers may deal some of their young pieces to acquire Kawhi Leonard. The Spurs' reported asking price, however, is astronomical, so it seems the two sides might be far from coming to an agreement.
Furthermore, it was reported last week that Lonzo has a torn meniscus and may need surgery before the season—a rumor that the Lakers reportedly believe came from Lonzo's camp, as the Ball family doesn't want Lonzo to get traded.
Last season, Rondo averaged 8.3 points, 8.2 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in 26.2 minutes per game. In his rookie campaign, Lonzo played 34.2 minutes per game and averaged 10.2 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.9 rebounds per game. His shot—a point of contention through his entire career to date—gradually improved throughout the season.
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