The Los Angeles Lakers have been mentioned as one of the suitors for All-Star playmaker Rajon Rondo, whom the Boston Celtics are aggressively shopping in the opening week of the NBA trade season.
Basketball Insiders writer Yannis Koutroupis included the Lakers among the the Western Conference teams reportedly interested to trade for Rondo, who will become unrestricted free-agent at the end of the season.
"West teams that make sense as a suitor for Rondo: Kings, Lakers, Rockets and Pelicans," stated Koutroupis, who believes the purple-and-gold has enough talents and assets to entice Celtics general manager Danny Ainge. Aside from Rondo, the Celtics are interested in including forward Jeff Green into the package with the hope of landing a first-round pick.
"Lakers actually have nice combo of expiring contracts (Lin, Nash, Hill's deal a team option), Houston's 1st rounder, to entice Boston. Lakers should give Cs whatever it takes for Rondo/Jeff Green, who is also on the block. Kobe+Rondo combine to turn LA into city of A-Holes!"
The Lakers have been mentioned as suitor for Rondo, who is averaging 8.0 points, 10.6 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game coming off an ACL injury. However, the possibility of seeing Rondo in purple and gold uniform exponentially increased after the playmaker was spotted with Kobe Bryant having breakfast a day before Lakers-Celtics clash last week.
The Lakers are having one of the worst seasons in franchise history with an 8-17 record. Many NBA analysts and followers believed the Lakers should start tanking away the season in order for them to have a chance in keeping the top-5 pick in next year's draft, which features big man Jahill Okafor of Duke and combo guard Emmanuel Mundiay.
Rondo is also drawing interest from other Western Conference teams, including the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings. The Rockets have been eager to land their star and willing to send some of their young players & draft picks to achieve their goal.
On the other hand, the Kings have been bullish under the new ownership, and open to trade any player on their roster, except DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, for Rondo.
