Lakers Rumors: Analyzing Buzz Surrounding Rajon Rondo and Quincy Miller
The Los Angeles Lakers (0-5) are off to a dreadful start in the 2014-15 season, so naturally the rumor mill is already set in motion. There is still time for the Lakers to work out the kinks, but it's no surprise folks are taking a look at this roster and wondering just how it might change for the better.
The Lakers currently rank 17th in offensive efficiency and deader-than-a-doornail last in defensive efficiency, allowing 117.4 points per 100 possessions according to ESPN's Hollinger rankings.
Kobe Bryant has resorted to shooting the ball at an astounding rate in order to generate offense. He's averaging 24.4 shots per game, a clip he hasn't hit since the 2005-06 season, when he put up 27.2 attempts a night.
The Lakers' illustrious history just adds to the novelty of watching them flounder in an absurdly talented Western Conference. They're like the school principal sitting above the dunk tank at the fair, and everyone's lining up to take their best shot.
Bryant and company don't appear to have much in the way of good news coming down the chute anytime soon, so it's only natural the biggest rumor surrounding the squad is one that has "wait until next year" written all over it.
Will the Lakers Pursue Rajon Rondo in 2015?
According to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, the Lakers may have their sights set on pursuing Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo next summer:
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There is one player who makes sense in LA next season: Rajon Rondo. Several rival executives believe the Lakers will make a strong run at Rondo next summer, and it’s easy to see why. Rondo is young (28), plays a critical position and shares the same win-at-all-bleeping-cost attitude as Bryant.
Indeed, Rondo—an unrestricted free agent in 2015—would fix many of the problems plaguing the current iteration of the Lakers, and few free-agent coups would be sweeter for purple-and-gold-blooded fans than snatching up best player from the arch-rival Celtics.
Rondo turns 29 in February and would be in his athletic prime should he join the Lakers. He's certainly playing like he's at the peak of his considerable powers in this season's early goings.
| 4 | 9.3 | 43.2 | 12.5 | 9.0 | 1.5 | 16.8 |
Rondo's playing style would mesh well with Bryant, as the former's passing ability would ensure the latter gets his nightly fix of field-goal attempts—which would almost assuredly be of higher quality. NBA Stats noted the success of Rondo's dishes this season:
The Lakers might not even have to ditch Jeremy Lin, as Grantland's Zach Lowe noted that Rondo has had success in a multiple-guard set with Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley this season:
Rondo is also a tenacious defender who does well to harass opposing point guards.
Of course, all of these wonderful qualities will ensure that Rondo has several suitors if he becomes a free agent in 2015. Danny Ainge, the Celtics' president of basketball operations, has made it clear the team isn't resigned to Rondo departing after this season.
"Rajon is a free agent at the end of the summer. We like Rajon. And Rajon has the freedom to go anywhere else. So we have to make this an attractive place for him to want to stay. And he has to play well enough for us to want to pay him," he said, via Comcast Sportsnet New England's A. Sherrod Blakely.
The Lakers' current roster doesn't have much to offer as long-term building blocks other than a (hopefully) recovered Randle, Lin and perhaps Jordan Clarkson (and those last two share a position with Rondo). If general manager Mitch Kupchak is to make sure a pursuit of Rondo is anything but trivial, he will likely need to convince another high-profile free agent to head to the City of Angels as well.
Quincy Miller a Potential Upgrade at Small Forward
Clearly, the heavy artillery the Lakers need won't come until the next season. It seems there is little they can do in the short term other than wait for the likes of Nick Young to return from injury. However, an intriguing player recently pinged the rumor radar, an option that could very well be worth exploring.
According to Real GM's Shams Chanaria, the Lakers are the lead suitors for small forward Quincy Miller, whom the Denver Nuggets excised from the roster before the start of this season:
Pro Basketball Talk's Dan Feldman explored Los Angeles' potential avenues for signing Miller:
"All three of those teams have full rosters, but each could waive someone without a fully guaranteed contract – Lakers (Wayne Ellington or Ronnie Price), Rockets (Tarik Black) and Pacers (Shayne Whittington) – to make room for Miller.
Most likely, the teams are assessing Miller in case a roster spot opens for another reason, most likely a trade.
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Snatching up a young player like Miller makes sense for the Lakers, as they should be doing all they can to seek out potential talent for the future. It could also signal to potential free agents that the organization interested in the long-term health of the team and not just bandaging a broken roster.
As Feldman noted, the Lakers could do away with Wayne Ellington and Ronnie Price, who aren't expected to be major contributors and are 26 and 31 years old respectively. Miller's 21 years on this planet alone make him an enticing option for the squad, but it's not a clear-cut move for Kupchak to make.
Dropping Ellington would make more sense than Price from a team depth standpoint, as ditching the latter would leave the Lakers with just Lin and Clarkson at point guard.
However, Ellington has been more effective than Price this season, averaging 7.5 points on 54.6 percent shooting. His age isn't much of a deterrent, as he could still develop into a more assured guard in due time. Ellington might also be a necessity if the Lakers are to put together a respectable season, as he currently has the fourth-highest player efficiency rating on the team.
Miller could be worth molding in the minutes currently allotted to Wesley Johnson, who's looked lost quite often this season. However, Miller has had his chances in the NBA and done little with them. He averaged 4.5 points per game in 2013-14 and shot just 31.9 percent from beyond the arc.
Still, the Lakers can't afford to spin the wheels at this point in their history, and taking a chance on a young hopeful might better serve the team in the long run.
Stats courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.
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