Cleveland Cavaliers: Brian Windhorst Says Rajon Rondo Won’t Fit

Brian Windhorst, a senior writer for ESPN known for his extensive coverage of LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, doesn’t believe that Rajon Rondo will be a fit.

In an interesting twist, perhaps not so much of a twist if you’ve read Sam Amico’s report on the Cleveland Cavaliers lack of interest in Rajon Rondo or are the general NBA fan, ESPN’s senior writer Brian Windhorst doesn’t believe Rondo will fit the team chemistry.

This doesn’t mean anything in particular, as Windhorst isn’t saying this with reference to any source, just stating his personal opinion. Still, with his knowledge of the Cleveland Cavaliers personnel and LeBron James, Windhorst’s opinion is particularly relevant.

Rondo, who has played for a different team every season since being traded from the Boston Celtics, is an emotional and volatile player that can disrupt what’s become a stable locker room for the Cavs. He’d probably be the most mercurial player the Cavs have had since Dion Waiters. Waiters, a confident volume shooter even when he wasn’t shooting well, refused to buy into the role of being a three-and-D player. Him and Kyrie Irving also had their fair share of drama, as there was constant speculation about if the two young guards were feuding for star power.

Physically, Rondo no longer displays the speed and aggressiveness that made him a household name. While it’s true that he’ll always be one of the most intelligent players in the game, he simply doesn’t have the athletic ability that made him an elite point guard. That wouldn’t be so much of a problem if Rondo possessed the ability to score in post-up situations or was a catch-and-shoot threat but he doesn’t.

Right?

Cleveland Cavaliers: Would Rajon Rondo Be A Fit?

Rondo doesn’t have a post game.

Yet, Rondo is making 39.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot attempts. While he’s only taking 1.3 per game, he wouldn’t be expected to be a big three-point threat in a second unit full of three-point specialists. A worrying statistic is that Rondo only makes 29.2 percent of his field goals when “open”, or at a distance where the defender can effect his shot. However, when he’s “wide open”, or at distance where the defender can’t effect his shot, Rondo shoots 35.0 percent.

Interestingly, Rondo shoots 60.0 parent on catch-and-shoot attempts when the opponent is within two to four feet of him and has been particularly effective from the right corner.

In Miami, James played with Norris Cole, another point guard who was more efficient when shooting from the corner. With the corner three being the shortest three-point attempt in the game, it makes sense that it would be easier to make for a player that’s not a strong three-point shooter.

For the Cavs, Rondo also is able to be the experienced veteran that guides players to where they need to be on the court. He doesn’t need to be an isolation scorer and, likely in a second unit with Channing Frye, Richard Jefferson and Iman Shumpert, he’ll have plenty of intelligent players to conduct, which should bode well for the Cavs second unit execution. The Cavs will need a player to use as the main scorer in the second unit and Kevin Love could operate as that player until, and after, J.R. Smith returns.

Nonetheless, reports of Rondo’s demise are premature. He still can move with a pace to be effective and, in any case, isn’t moving at Andre Miller-level pace. He’ll still attack the rim and keep the bodies moving.

Off-the-court, Dwyane Wade has been publicly supportive of Rondo. As far as his past muck-ups, he’s still friends with Doc Rivers. With Wade and Rivers being the friends of James and head coach Tyronn Lue, the two most important pieces the Cavs put on the floor, their opinions of Rondo hold weight. Rondo, although a mercurial figure, has his supporters.

That has to mean that the public perception of Rondo is at least a little bit off, right?

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Do you agree with Brian Windhorst saying that Rajon Rondo wouldn’t fit on the Cleveland Cavaliers? Let us know in the comments section or Twitter @KJG_NBA.