Lakers Rumors: Interest in Rajon Rondo Is Wishful Thinking
The Los Angeles Lakers are desperate to land some new talent.
The Boston Celtics still desperately want to better their ball club.
Although these two have a history of competing in the NBA Finals, they are potential trade partners in this scenario.
Boston has two expiring contracts to work with—Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen—as well as one of the best young point guards in the league. Paul Pierce could be an option, but he's owed between $14-16 million per year and too beloved by the Celtics faithful to legitimately be traded.
That leaves Boston with three options, and the only one the Lakers want is Rajon Rondo. Lakers.com quotes L.A.'s GM Mitch Kupchak as saying:
"If there were a way for us to get a 25-year-old, All-Star, ball-handling guard we'd love to do it … but that's not likely in February. So you look at other alternatives, and see if it's better than what you have. That's all.
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Everyone around the league has done the math, and the only 25-year-old All-Star guard is Rajon Rondo. HoopsWorld reports that the Celtics have some interest in Lakers All-Star forward Pau Gasol.
Is Rondo for Gasol a possibility? Yes.
Is it reality? No.
Unless the Celtics are bordering on insanity—which we've heard Danny Ainge on the brink of a time or two this season—this deal is complete wishful thinking.
Boston isn't playing great basketball this year, and neither are the Lakers for that matter, but sending away Rondo for a quick fix in Gasol would send them straight into irrelevancy. They've struggled mightily without their point guard on the floor and have nobody to take his place. Adding Gasol to their front court does only so much good without guard play—just ask the Knicks.
The Celtics have too much of their future invested in Rondo and his potential to trade him away for one last run with their "Big Three."
This trade would give the Lakers a big time chip while setting the Celtics back; don't expect it to amount to much.
