NBA Trade Rumors: Trading Pau Gasol for Rajon Rondo Would Be Bad Move for Lakers

Trading Pau Gasol for Rajon Rondo would seem to be a dream come true for the Los Angeles Lakers, especially after Gasol's disappointing performance in the playoffs last season.

But there's one reason why such a trade wouldn't make the Lakers much better off: rebounding.

Eric Pincus of HOOPSWORLD reported on Wednesday, "Sources have told HOOSPWORLD that the Boston Celtics do have interest in Gasol for their All-Star point guard."

The Lakers have the second-best rebounding differential in the league, and it's primarily because of Gasol and Andrew Bynum. As we all know, rebounding is key in going far in the playoffs.

If you lose Gasol, who do you have at power forward? Even if the Boston Celtics threw in Jermaine O'Neal or Brandon Bass, that wouldn't help much as far as rebounding.

Also, losing Gasol would open up a hole in the interior defensively. Although Gasol isn't a premier defender in the paint, he has averaged 1.2 blocks this season. Alongside Bynum, Gasol has helped the Lakers limit opponents to 41.8 percent shooting, best in the NBA.

So essentially, the Lakers would be helping themselves match up with speedy point guards, but if opponents went into the paint it would be much easier to convert baskets.

There's also this: the Lakers' main problem hasn't been guarding point guards this season. Although this has been a clear problem, the Lakers' biggest weakness has been closing out fourth quarters, and a lot of that is because the Lakers haven't been throwing the ball into the post enough, whether it be to Gasol or Bynum.

Gasol complained earlier this season that Mike Brown wasn't using him effectively. In short, Brown was using him as a Lamar Odom-type player on the high post instead of using him as he should be used: as a low-post player.

You could make the argument that Brown has been a big reason for the Lakers' failures this season. I understand that Kobe Bryant is their closer, but you have to focus on the interior as well, especially when you have post players like Gasol and Bynum.

Despite Gasol's struggles in the playoffs last season, the fact of the matter is he's not the most serious concern for the Lakers: The main issue is how they go about trying to win games.

The Lakers' best course of action right now is adding a young, defensive-minded point guard who won't cost them too much.

I have yet to see any available guards who would help them in that regard, but that is what they need to focus on. They need to avoid trading Gasol.