Rondo dismisses position battle: 'I'm not so much caught up in starting'

Despite reports that Rajon Rondo expects to compete for the Los Angeles Lakers' starting point guard job - with Lonzo Ball presumably representing the stiffest competition - the four-time All-Star is doing his part to publicly dismiss any possibility of friction in regards to his role with the team.

"They have me here to help win games, any way possible, whatever situation I might be in," Rondo said, according to team insider Mike Trudell. "I think they have plans, me being here along with other guys and this great young core. I’m not so much caught up in starting (or not)."

Rondo has come off the bench just 19 times since breaking through as a starter in his sophomore campaign with the Boston Celtics in 2007-08. Seventeen of those instances occurred during his 2016-17 season with the Chicago Bulls.

In any case, newly minted Laker LeBron James will have the ball in his hands whenever the team initiates its half-court offense. The King's role as point forward is one of the only certainties for 2018-19 at this time.