Lakers Rumors: Why Kobe Bryant Needs Rajon Rondo To Win NBA Title

The NBA trade deadline is less than eight days away, and before March 15 names like Dwight Howard, Michael Beasley and Raymond Felton could be on the move.

In Los Angeles, the Pau Gasol rumors will continue right up until they can't anymore, and with the Oklahoma City Thunder the team to beat right now in the West, general manager Mitch Kupchak knows this Laker team needs a jolt if they want to get back to the NBA Finals.

Much has been made about Kupchak's comments on February 3, when he claimed the team would love to get "a 25-year-old, All-Star, ball-handling guard." Not many guards fit that bill, and it's becoming clearer each day that LA is actively looking for a replacement for aging Derek Fisher.

What would it take to bring that 25-year-old, Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo, to the Lakers?

The Lakers have been in the market for a point guard since mid-January. Why not get one of the top five in the entire NBA? Rondo is the definition of a floor general, a solid penetrator and a true rebounding guard, which is very hard to find these days.

If Boston is going to trade their star point guard, they're going to need another star in return. That's where Gasol comes in. A deal for those two could also send Brandon Bass to the Lakers and young guards Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock to the Celtics, along with a draft pick.

If Gasol is headed out the door, Kobe Bryant needs to ensure it's for a player the caliber of Rondo.

Mike Brown's offense scrapped the triangle in the offseason. A team built around Gasol, Bryant and Andrew Bynum touching the ball nearly every possession has now shifted even more isolation-heavy, only with less passing.

Rondo could bring the kind of ball movement and athleticism the Lakers simply do not have right now. Fisher is really only a knock-down shooter these days, and that's when he's at his absolute best. Kobe is playing at an MVP-type level, but another season of 38+ minutes might push his body to past the point of no return.

Even though Gasol would be sent out of town, bringing back Rondo and possibly Bass is a deal the Lakers need to compete in the West. A win against the Chris Bosh-less Miami Heat gave management hope they could add pieces without breaking up their core big three, but an 88-85 loss to the Detroit Pistons might push those thoughts in the other direction.

Rondo matches up well with point guards in the West, from Russell Westbrook to Steve Nash. His play on both ends and fiery attitude make him the player he is, and that might be exactly what LA needs to have any realistic shot at contending come playoff time.

Aside from that, Rondo could be the type of player the Buss family would want to build around when Kobe's number (8 or 24, or both?) is sent to hang from the rafters of Staples Center. LA is an attractive place to play, and having guys like Rondo and Bynum to build around certainly is a good start.

LA will make a trade before the deadline. It will involve a point guard. If they can't get the prize (Rondo) they will settle elsewhere for a complementing piece.

But if Kupchak can get Danny Ainge to send Rondo to LA now, the Lakers presumably put themselves in position to make a run, even without Gasol.