The Cleveland Cavaliers have turned to the trade market to help replace point guard Ricky Rubio, who suffered a torn ACL earlier this week that will end his season. On Friday, the Cavaliers agreed to acquire veteran point guard Rajon Rondo from the Los Angeles Lakers to fill their void at the position.
Now that Rondo has cleared the NBA's health and safety protocols, the deal can be completed -- with the addition of a third team -- and he gives the Cavaliers a veteran leader at the point. Previously, Cleveland had been down to just Darius Garland (also subject to protocols) and rookie Kevin Pangos at the position. Pangos, a EuroLeague veteran, had played 82 minutes all season before starting the team's last three games, two of them losses.
In his second tour of duty with the Lakers, whom he helped win the NBA championship in the bubble, Rondo had seen sporadic action as a backup point guard.
Can Rondo still help the Cavaliers at age 35? (He'll turn 36 in February.) And how might the Lakers use the extra roster spot created in this trade? Let's take a look.
The deal
Cavaliers get: Rajon Rondo, draft rights
Lakers get: Draft rights to Louis Labeyrie
New York Knicks get: Denzel Valentine, $1.1 million cash, draft rights to Brad Newlin and Wang Zhelin