The Los Angeles Lakers are not expected to contend for the title this season, but fans should expect them to make significant moves before the trade deadline in February and in the offseason.
According to Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors, the Lakers are expected to make a run at acquiring Rajon Rondo either before the trade deadline or next summer.
The Lakers have Jeremy Lin manning the point for them this season, but most analysts are convinced that Los Angeles need a pass-first point guard, and Rondo fits the billing.
Rondo, who would become an unrestricted free agent after the 2014-15 NBA season, is averaging 9.0 points, 11.2 assists and 8.0 rebounds per game this season.
There are still concerns about Rondo's health after undergoing a surgery to repair a torn ACL two seasons ago, but Myron pointed out that the Lakers are still high on the 28-year-old playmaker.
"That same concern (health) has seemed to hold up some of the trade talk as front offices around the league want to know exactly what they would be getting," Myron wrote. "Still, the Lakers, in clear need of a point guard, seem poised to go after him next summer."
And should they fail to acquire Rondo, the Lakers are also interested in signing Phoenix Suns point guard Goran Dragic, who will also become an unrestricted free agent next summer.
However, the Houston Rockets are also expected to make a strong push to acquire him in the offseason, and the Suns are also in a good position to re-sign the 28-year-old Slovenian, who is averaging 14.4 points to go along with 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game this season.
"The Rockets and Lakers have already been linked to the versatile guard who apparently plans to opt out," Myron wrote. "Still, the Suns have their sights set on keeping their talented Bledsoe-Dragic backcourt together, and Phoenix's signing of Zoran Dragic this year was no insignificant hint."
If Rondo or Dragic becomes availabe on trade front before the deadline in February, the Lakers are expected to pursue either of the two point guards. Marc Stein of ESPN reported that the Lakers could use Steve Nash's $9.7 million expiring contract in a trade for a marquee player later in the season.
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