Lakers Rumors: Rajon Rondo Speculation Intriguing, Premature
The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics play each other Friday, but a game between the NBA’s two most successful franchises is far from the only news surrounding each team.
Baxter Holmes of ESPN passed along news of a very intriguing breakfast:
Had Holmes simply shared the picture without much commentary, it probably wouldn’t have been a big deal, but he speculated about a trade. That is buzz-word territory because Rondo has been in trade rumors all season.
Howard Beck of Bleacher Report shared some earlier in the year:
“Rival executives say that Ainge has been firm in his stance that Rondo will not be dealt. But many of those same executives believe that Ainge has to trade Rondo, to avoid losing him for nothing next summer.”
There are a number of different angles to the Rondo-Lakers trade speculation, and they are all intriguing.
Let’s take a look at Holmes’ proposed swap from Boston’s side. The acquisition of two first-round picks and Steve Nash’s expiring contract makes some sense. Boston is not going to win the title or even contend in the watered-down Eastern Conference this season or probably next season without a drastic roster change.
Adding multiple first-round picks and then freeing up some cap space when Nash’s expiring contract comes off the books would accelerate the rebuilding process.
The Celtics already have Marcus Smart, Jared Sullinger, James Young, Kelly Olynyk and Avery Bradley, who are all under 25 years old and could formulate a fairly solid core moving forward. There are big guys, point guards and wing players on that list, and the potential first-rounder or two that Boston would get in a swap with the Lakers would provide more young depth.
There is also the individual player storyline with this proposed trade.
Matching Rondo with Kobe Bryant is intriguing in its own right, especially given Bryant’s older comments on the Boston point guard, via Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com:
"You don't want Rondo? Send him my way. I love everything about him. Everything. I love his attitude, I love his chippiness, his edge, his intellect, his know-it-allness. All of it. That's what makes championship players.
"
What guard have you seen at his size that will get you 18 assists, 17 boards and 20 points all in one game? That's unheard of. I love that kid. I always make a point of talking to him during All-Star [Weekend]. He's one of my favorites.
The ability of a Rondo-Bryant pairing to bring in the crowds and increase the excitement in Los Angeles is one thing, but this trade would be about more than just attendance for the Lakers.
Nash and Jeremy Lin will come off the books in the offseason, so there is a gaping hole at point guard that Rondo would immediately fill. What’s more, the addition of Rondo would give Los Angeles a much-needed boost into potential playoff contention in the future, which is a nice change from what we have seen the past couple of years.
The pairing works from a basketball standpoint as well because Rondo is always looking to set up his teammates, while Bryant is more than ready to shoot on a moment’s notice.
While having a pass-first point guard like Rondo would be a boost to Bryant on the wing, it would also help the big guys on pick-and-rolls or simply on the low blocks. Rondo can get to the rim with an explosive first step, which forces the opposing rim protector to shift over and open up the Lakers' big men.
Perhaps most importantly from Los Angeles’ perspective is what Rondo would mean from a free-agency standpoint. Playing with Rondo is an idea plenty of star players can get behind because he is always looking to get everyone involved. Grouping a potential signing like Greg Monroe or Marc Gasol with Rondo and Bryant would make the Lakers much more formidable in the loaded Western Conference.
While all of this is intriguing and enjoyable to think about, it feels incredibly premature.
Yes, Rondo has been in trade rumors already this year and likely will be all the way until the trade deadline in February, but the Lakers and Celtics are playing each other Friday. Rondo and Bryant are two competitors with plenty of respect for each other and simply spent some time together off the court. By no stretch does that mean there will be a trade in the immediate or even long-term future.
It’s still an incredibly intriguing early-season discussion, though.
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