Lakers Rumors: Why LA Is Foolish Not to Trade Pau Gasol for Rajon Rondo

The Los Angeles Lakers' management is foolish not to make a trade for Rajon Rondo, because it would potentially put them into championship contention immediately.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been the subject of numerous trade rumors over the last few weeks, and a particularly interesting one has them trading Pau Gasol to Boston for point guard Rajon Rondo.

That trade offer from Boston was reportedly rejected by Los Angeles. I can understand the Lakers not wanting to give up Gasol for just one player. However, when you have the chance to get Rondo, who is probably one of the most well-rounded point guards in the history of the game, you pull the trigger.

Rondo improves the Lakers in many ways and fills their biggest personnel need. His youth, experience and abilities make him a better piece than even Gasol.

Youth and Experience vs. Experience

While Gasol has been a very good player in helping Kobe Bryant win two more championships, he is not as valuable as Rondo right now.

Gasol, at 31 years of age, has already seen in his play begin to decline. He's had a great career, but he's no longer the type of player that can really put up big numbers night in and night out.

On the other hand, Rondo is 26 years old, which gives him a full five years more that he'll probably be able to play over Gasol in the long run.

Rondo also can just about match Gasol in playoff experience. Rondo won a title with the Celtics in 2008 and nearly helped them defeat the Lakers in 2010.

He's played a ton in the playoffs, and he is young. That's a perfect blend of what the Lakers need in a point guard.

What You Need vs. What You Have

The Lakers have the best frontcourt duo in the NBA right now. Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum are both legit 7-footers who can score and defend, and no team in the NBA can match that.

However, the Lakers are terrible at the point guard position. Derek Fisher is ancient and only good as a three-point shooter. Steve Blake has been a major disappointment.

In Rondo, the Lakers get a guy who is fantastic defensively and can run an offense better than nearly anyone in the NBA. The Lakers need both of those things.

Having Gasol joining Bynum in the paint is great, but it leaves this team as it is, and as is won't cut it.

The Lakers have no-one to stop the great point guards out west like Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul and Tony Parker. With their current lineup, they could get swept by a team with a dynamic point guard in the first round.

Gasol won't stop that. Rondo would.

What You Are Building Toward vs. What You Have Built

The Lakers need to decide what their future plans are. If they want to be completely irrelevant in a few years when Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are gone, then they should stay as they are.

If they want to stay relevant for the next decade, they need to begin the process of building around young talent. That means trading Gasol for Rondo and possibly picking up Michael Beasley on the side if they can.

This team must look beyond this season and realize that keeping Gasol and shutting the door on having one of the best young point guards in the game is foolish beyond measure.

They have the opportunity with this trade to stay where they've been—contending for championships—for a very long time.

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak should call his Celtics counterpart Danny Ainge today and make the deal happen. Let's just hope that the Celtics are still willing to listen.