Player Breakdowns: Rajon Rondo, The Forgotten Playmaker

In the NBA, there are a lot of defined roles. These are based on past performances of the player, and the potential they still hold. We’re going to break down every New Orleans Pelicans player’s skillset and define those roles. Up now, is point guard Rajon Rondo.

Rajon Rondo is one of the most polarizing figures in basketball. Many consider him to still be an extremely impactful player, while others feel he’s lost a step. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Rondo’s numbers have fluctuated heavily over the last few seasons.

Even if you aren’t convinced he’s still the same player, there are still some obvious strengths and weaknesses to his game.

Strength – Playmaking

This is easily the best part of Rondo’s game. An elite ball handler and passer, Rondo makes plays that few others can make.

This is shown off by countless ankle breakers, as well as passes that leave many wondering “how did he do that”.

Thanks to his excellent ball handling, one of Rondo’s best attributes is his driving ability. From there, he’s left with a few options. If the defense collapses on him, Rondo can kick it out to an open teammate. If they don’t, he’s more-than-capable of making an inside shot. This is a major part of his game.

Even during his down seasons, Rondo can be counted on to facilitate an offense without a problem.

Weakness – Scoring

This should come as no surprise to anyone reading, but Rajon Rondo should not be your first scoring option.

Or your second.

Maybe not even your third.

Rondo’s by no means a good jump shooter. In fact, the only area of the court where he’s shooting over 50% for his career is around the basket (57.4%). After that, there’s just one area with a shooting percentage over 40% and that’s the left wing (41.9%).

Even his free throw percentage is notoriously bad, as he shoots 60.6% from the charity stripe.

Rondo has improved from behind the three-point line in recent seasons, but it’s still hard to consider him a legitimate threat from deep.

Strength – Rebounding

Simply put, Rondo is one of the better rebounding point guards in basketball. He averages 4.9 per game and is always a triple-double threat.

Strength – Defense

This is one of the bigger arguing points when it comes to Rajon Rondo. At one point, it was clear he was one of the best defensive guards in basketball. Now, there’s an argument that he’s lost a step.

However, even if he’s slowed down a bit, Rondo’s still capable of locking down his opponent. He’s still a threat to strip the ball if someone gets careless and knows how to play the passing lanes.

Next: Player Breakdowns: E'Twaun Moore

Overall, Rajon Rondo’s a nice addition to the New Orleans Pelicans team. His ability to help his teammates score counteracts his own inability to do so. Meanwhile, he’s still an above-average defender and rebounder for his position.

Say what you will about Rondo, but as we saw last postseason, the man can still ball!