The Lakers signed Rajon Rondo to a one-year, $9 million deal in hopes to bring both veteran and championship experience to the team.

Now as the NBA landscape has changed in regards to star and superstar players changing teams to set themselves up for the best chance to win a championship, fans have voiced their opinions on how star-studded teams first started. Some may say it started when LeBron James joined the Miami Heat in 2010 which blindsided the league and fans alike. Some may say it started with the Boston Celtics being the first team to form a star-studded team as we now know as a “Big 3.”

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In July of 2007, Boston made a series of trades that NBA offseason that landed the team Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen through trades to jump start a team that has been held at high standards for decades. Paul Pierce at the time was the cornerstone for the franchise. A star player in his own right, he simply needed help. With the assistance of the trades to land Garnett and Allen, a promising point guard by the name of Rajon Rondo emerged to take the team even further.

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The previous season (Rajon Rondo’s rookie season), Rondo shared time with guards Sebastian Telfair and Delonte West awaiting his turn to eventually take over as the starting point guard for the Boston Celtics. In his rookie season, Rondo’s numbers and poise showed promise of something special to come.

After spending eight years with the Celtics, Rondo has since been with a new team in each offseason. He has been with the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Pelicans last season and now with the Los Angeles Lakers on a one-year, $9 million contract.

A little over a decade later, the tides have turned. Rondo, now 32 years old, is taking on the role of mentor: both for younger players (especially Lonzo Ball) and as someone with a lot of championship experience.

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Rondo will help improve Lonzo’s game from the standpoint of running an offense better, becoming a better passer and even more importantly becoming a stronger leader on the court. Rondo is the type of player that loves to study the game of basketball and he’s not afraid to voice his opinion: areas that Lonzo can continue to improve on.

But besides just helping Lonzo Ball, Rondo’s presence in the locker room with LeBron will help the younger players see the game of basketball in a different perspective going forward.

Yet despite being a mentor, Rondo has continued to keep his competitive edge sharp. Rondo understands father time is knocking on the door soon and he won’t allow that to stop him from earning a starting job with the Lakers this year.