Back to the Cleveland Cavaliers Newsfeed

Changing of the Guard

Cavs Acquire Veteran Rajon Rondo to Shore Up Young Backcourt

Accomplished, experienced veteran backup point guards are an extremely valuable commodity in the NBA – a point made abundantly clear this season in Cleveland.

Playing behind, and sometimes alongside, the supremely talented Darius Garland, 11th-year man Ricky Rubio got the Wine & Gold into playoff contention 34 games into the season. Now, the Cavaliers are hoping Rajon Rondo can take them the rest of the way.

On Monday, one day after snapping a three-game skid that began the night Rubio was injured, the Cavs made it officially – acquiring Rondo, the 16-year veteran from the Lakers in a three-team deal that sends Denzel Valentine to the Knicks along with the draft rights to Wang Zhelin (57th overall pick in 2016) and Brad Newley (54th/2007) and cash considerations from L.