Kobe on recruiting Rondo to Lakers: 'I'm not stopping until he signs an extension'

Rajon Rondo winding up in Dallas certainly gives the Mavericks an upper hand in re-signing the pending free agent point guard, but if you think that's going to stop Kobe Bryant from recruiting Rondo to the Los Angeles Lakers, you don't know Mamba.

"No way," Bryant told the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett about whether he's finished trying to get Rondo to the Lakers. "I'm not done. I'm not stopping until he signs an extension."

Rondo-to-the-Lakers rumors heated up when the former All-Star was photographed having breakfast with Bryant in Boston in December, with a later report claiming the Lakers were Rondo's second choice after only the Celtics.

Those rumors had died down in the aftermath of Rondo being traded to the Mavericks, who now own his Bird rights and can offer him substantially more money (and a fifth year) than any other team, but Kobe clearly won't let that stop him from making a sales pitch.

Rondo has averaged 10.8 points, 7.6 assists, 5.6 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 14 games with the Mavericks, with the team going 10-4.

At 29-13, the Mavericks sit fifth-place in the Western Conference, trailing the Southwest Division-leading Memphis Grizzlies by only a half-game.

Tyson Chandler will also be an unrestricted free agent come July and Monta Ellis could decline his 2015-16 player option, but the Mavs would likely give Rondo a better chance to compete for championships in the near future, regardless.