Report: Sacramento Kings ‘a darkhorse location’ for Rajon Rondo in free agency

Rajon Rondo was believed to be in line for a large payday on a multi-year contract when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer, but after a disastrous stint in Dallas, he may be forced to change his plans.

Rondo clashed with head coach Rick Carlisle, and essentially quit on his team in the first round of the playoffs. The Mavericks floated a “back injury” story as the reason he was sent away, but the reality was the team was simply done with him, and chose that route instead of dealing with a needless controversy during its first-round playoff series.

Dallas didn’t even give Rondo a playoff share, which shows the level of distaste the organization felt for him in the brief time he was there.

Things may have changed for Rondo on the free agent market because of all this, and now teams who traditionally can’t lure free agents to sign may believe they have a shot -- and evidently, this includes the lowly Sacramento Kings.

From Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe:

A darkhorse location for Rajon Rondo in free agency is Sacramento, where the Kings are entering a pivotal year in their franchise and could use a bona fide point guard. Darren Collison, coming off hip surgery, is the team’s scheduled starter for next season. Rondo, who didn’t appear interested in going to the Kings a few years ago, could use the club as a springboard to perhaps a larger contract if he signs a one-year deal. Rondo is also close friends with Kings forward Rudy Gay.

Sacramento may only be an option if Rondo decides to sign a one- or two-year deal in order to rehabilitate his image, before then trying to land a larger, multi-year deal to play somewhere that’s actually appealing.

But from a pure entertainment standpoint, the personalities of Rondo and DeMarcus Cousins on the same team? Sign me up.