The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired Rajon Rondo.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers agreed to send Rondo to the Cavs in exchange for Denzel Valentine.

Los Angeles is expected to waive Valentine’s partially guaranteed deal to create an additional spot on the list.

The Cavs were looking for a new point guard after Ricky Rubio was ruled out of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee on Tuesday.

Rondo, who was looking for a bigger role, will now take over most of the minutes left by Rubio.

Rondo is in his 16th season, averaging 3.1 points, 3.7 assists in 18 appearances for the Lakers. Rondo is currently in the league’s health and safety protocols.

Commercial grades

Gentlemen

This was a necessity move from the Cavs, who desperately needed the help of guards after Rubio’s season-ending injury. In addition to Rubio, Cleveland no longer has Collin Sexton, who will be out for the season with a torn meniscus and the move comes while Darius Garland is on health and safety protocols.

The addition of Rondo addresses the need to create plays and adds a veteran presence to the young locker room of a team that has real aspirations to make noise in the postseason.

As good as Rondo’s onboarding is in theory, he’s not necessarily the player he once was – he’s in his 16th season, turning 36 in February, and his averages don’t necessarily jump off the page. Rondo will provide invaluable leadership and mentorship to Garland, and once the playoffs come, he is still capable of making big plays like he did during the Lakers’ title race in 2020.

Qualification: B

Lakers

There isn’t much to see here for Los Angeles, which just frees up a spot on the move-in list.

The Lakers could make something happen with their free spot on the roster as they seek answers to turn around a largely disappointing season. They could sign a player like Stanley Johnson to a standard NBA contract or win back more players if general manager Rob Pelinka has a bigger move up his sleeve.

Seeing that you don’t move the needle much, either way, there’s not much to write about at home at the moment.

Qualification: C +

– Gilbert McGregor (@ GMcGregor21)