Lakers sign guards Avery Bradley, Rajon Rondo

With superstar Kawhi Leonard's surprise decision to sign with the Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers have been in scramble mode to sign whatever quality players remained on the free agent market.  Fortunately, those last-ditch efforts have netted some quality role players to help fill out the roster, as the team announced that it had signed guards Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo.

Other outlets have reported the Bradley deal is worth $9.7 million over two years, with the second year being a player option.  Other reports have stated the Rondo signing is a two-year deal at the veteran's minimum salary.

With the trade of young guards Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart to the Pelicans in the Anthony Davis deal, the roles of Rondo and Bradley on the team have now become that much more important.

Throughout his career, Bradley has been an outstanding on-ball defender with quick feet and tenacity.    More of a combo guard than a true lead guard, he owns career averages of 12.0 points (.436 FG%, .364 3P%), 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steal in 522 games (449 starts) for the Celtics, Pistons, Clippers, and Grizzlies.

In 63 games for the Clippers and Grizzlies last season, Bradley notched 9.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 30.2 minutes.

Meanwhile, Rondo returns to the Lakers after an up-and-down season with the team.

In 46 games (29 starts) last season, Rondo recorded 14 double-doubles and one triple-double, tallying 9.2 points, 8.0 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game.  When healthy, he often was one of the team's more effective players, but a series of injuries caused him to miss a slew of games.

A 13-year veteran point guard, Rondo has played in 825 career games (726 starts) for Boston, Dallas, Sacramento, Chicago, New Orleans and the Lakers, with averages of 10.4 points (.460 FG%), 8.5 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals.

By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com