The Los Angeles Clippers plan on pursuing Rajon Rondo in free agency.

Rondo spent the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and played key rotation minutes during their title run. Rondo plans to test the open market in free agency after playing for the veteran's minimum. 

The Clippers are believed to be prioritizing a traditional playmaking point guard as that was an issue during their disappointing second round exit.

Danny Green predicts LeBron James and other veterans of the Los Angeles Lakers will not play if the 20-21 season starts on December 22nd as currently proposed. The Lakers won the 2020 NBA Championship on October 11th.

"If we start in December, I think most guys [are like], 'I'm not going to be there,'" Green told The Ringer NBA Show podcast Monday. "If I had to guess, because we have a lot of vets on our team, it's not like we have a lot of young guys or rookies ... to have that quick of a restart, I wouldn't expect to see [LeBron] there. I wouldn't expect to see him probably for the first month of the season. He'll probably be working out with us ... but I just don't expect guys to want to be there, or show up willingly.

"I think at this moment, and it might be different in two weeks when guys are like, 'All right, I'm gonna get back in the gym, start working out.' When we get back in the gym, it's not right to basketball. It's, 'All right, let me start getting into shape' -- lifting a little bit, start running around a little bit. Then I'll pick up a ball."

James, who turns 36 on Dec. 30, has not commented on the league's plans.

Rob Pelinka reflected upon his experience in the bubble, saying that the Los Angeles Lakers title deserves a "gold star" instead an asterisk.

"It’s easy to think about ‘oh, we didn’t get to have a parade, or we didn’t get to do this yet.’ But to be able to have won a championship inside a bubble, and to be with the guys and the staff for 100 days in a row, also provided some extraordinary moments that probably future champions will never be able to experience because it was such a unique setting.

"So I try to spend a lot of time thinking about the parts of this championship that make it unique," said Pelinka in his appearance on The Woj Pod (h/t to Silver Screen & Roll).

The Lakers delayed their public celebration as a precautionary measure due to COVID-19.

Pelinka said that the title wouldn't come with an asterisk considering the challenges of the bubble. 

“I think some have (asked) ‘will this championship have an asterisk on it?’ I like to say ‘no, I think it’s got a gold star.’ Just because you had to do so much more to get to the end, and I think it was just a testament to our team (and) the players and our staff coming together in that environment.”

The Los Angeles Lakers have requested a career-ending injury application to have the salary of Luol Deng removed from the team's books.

Dang agreed to give-back $7.5 million in a buyout with the Lakers in September 2018, but the team then used the stretch provision on the remaining $29 million on his contract.

Deng retired last October and the stretched money is on the Lakers' books through 2022.

The Golden State Warriors are expected to be among the teams interested in signing Dwight Howard this offseason, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Howard and the Los Angeles Lakers also have mutual interest in a deal.

Howard rehabbed his value during the 19-20 season, embracing a reduced role with the Lakers.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is expected to decline his $8.5 million player option for the 20-21 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.

While Caldwell-Pope and the Lakers will have significant mutual interest, there are expected to be some external suitors.

The Atlanta Hawks have cap space and could emerge with interest in Caldwell-Pope.

Caldwell-Pope first joined the Lakers during the 2017 offseason. The Lakers will have full Bird rights on Caldwell-Pope.

Anthony Davis will opt out of his $28.7 million player option and re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Davis and Rich Paul will hold meetings in the coming weeks to determine which contract path makes the most sense for him.

Davis could sign a one-plus-one contract worth $68.1 million to become a free agent again in 2021.

Davis could also sign a two-plus-one to become a free agent in 2022 when he would then be eligible for a contract worth 35 percent of the max. With a $125 million cap projection for 2022, Davis could sign a five-year, $253.75 million deal.

Rajon Rondo will opt out of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers for the 20-21 season, according to a report from Chris Sheridan of BasketballNews.com.

“He’s definitely opting out,” a league source said.

Rondo has a player option worth $2.96 million.

Rondo could still re-sign with the Lakers, but didn't shut down the possibility of leaving during an interview with ESPN.

“I’m definitely going to entertain it,” Rondo said of free agency. “Obviously, always thinking about running it back with a great group of guys and coaching staff. I can’t thank those guys enough for giving me a shot the last couple of years. It’s been amazing playing for this organization. 

“My agent and I will sit down and talk, but right now, I’m just kind of enjoying the moment, continuing to ride this high out. I don’t want to think about free agency right now; I’ve got a couple of months to do that as well. Right now, I’m going to enjoy the time with my family, friends, take a lot of great vacations and keep enjoying life.”

Mike D'Antoni and Phil Handy are potential candidates to join the coaching staff of Steve Nash with the Brooklyn Nets.

D'Antoni coached Nash for several seasons with both the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers.

Handy has been an assistant coach for championship teams with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Toronto Raptors and Los Angeles Lakers.

Anthony Davis has battled nagging injuries during his career, which LeBron James has tried to help him with since his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.

James introduced Davis to his nutrition plan and recommended he receive preventative maintenance treatment on a regular basis, sources told Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports.

Davis has also purposely sought to reduce the number of times he fell to the floor when attacking the basket.