
Con: Off-Ball Offense
The primary knock against Rajon Rondo since he entered the NBA has been his inability to provide quality contributions in an off-ball role. He’s a career 30.4 percent shooter from beyond the arc, and has converted just 0.3 3-point field goals per game.
Rondo has admittedly improved in that regard, but Jeff Hornacek’s offense would require Rondo to be a genuine threat without the ball.
It’s certainly possible that Hornacek’s offense could play to Rondo’s strengths. Whether it keeps the ball in his hands or allows him to work the baseline for finishes at the rim, there are ways to circumvent his flaws.
It’s also worth noting that Rondo averaged 0.6 catch and shoot 3-point field goals made on 41.0 percent shooting during the 2016-17 season.
Until Rondo provides a bigger sample size of efficient shooting, however, it will be fair to question his proficiency. As the Knicks prepare to run a motion offense, that level of consistency will be a primary point of emphasis with Rondo.
2016-17 may have been a sign of things to come, but it could have just as easily been an aberration that tricks New York into overpaying.