Hoopsworld: Rondo for Gasol?

[Tai]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/nba-2-rondo-for-gasol-a-possiblity

General manager Mitch Kupchak may have inadvertently leaked one target to reporter Mike Trudell of Lakers.com.

To the question, what would he like to address before the trade deadline (March 15th), Kupchak answered:

    “Well, if there were a way for us to get a 25-year-old, All-Star, ball-handling guard we’d love to do it … but that’s not likely in February. So you look at other alternatives, and see if it’s better than what you have. That’s all.”

Applying that logic to the Trudell quote, there is exactly one 25-year-old, All-Star, ball-handling guard in the league.

Rajon Rondo.

Note:  “ball-handling guard” is triangle-speak for a point guard.

Additionally, sources have told HOOSPWORLD that the Boston Celtics do have interest in Gasol for their All-Star point guard.

  I feel whatever I ate in the last hours trying to comeback up already, but it's something to consider going into the trade deadline, cause believe it or not, it's only a month + week away.

[indeedproceed]

Wouldn't worry about it.

[Lucky17]

Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook are both 23 years old.

By the way, Ramon Sessions is 25 years old, and has recently been linked to the Lakers. Not an All-Star, though.

[Tai]

Also.....remember when Donny said that his sources reported the C's were interested in trading Rondo for someone and when asked who, he said "you'd be surprised"?

I'll leave it that, lol.

[Mean n Green 20]

http://www.iamagm.com/news/2012/02/07/celtics.would.have.interest.swapping.rajon.rondo.pau.gasol.not.interested.rebuilding

This trade rumor actually seems to make some sense for both teams involved. The Lakers would get badly needed help at the point guard position, and the Celtics would gain a formidable big man to rebuild with. Obviously, having these two mortal enemies complete a trade is another matter altogether.

According to HOOPSWORLD.com:
Additionally, sources have told HOOSPWORLD that the Boston Celtics do have interest in Gasol for their All-Star point guard.

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The Celtics have shopped Rondo on a number of occasions.  For a number of reasons, sources say Boston does not intend to rebuild their roster around Rondo. The drop off from Rajon to second-year player Avery Bradley (a capable defender but not as experienced as a playmaker) may not be as significant to the Celtics as the void in the middle that Gasol would fill.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I was just about to post this; TP for beating me to it. 

It would fill a glaring need for each team, but the dropoff at PG that such a trade would create for the Cs is concerning. Yeah, I'd love a starting frontcourt of Gasol, KG and Pierce, with JO backing up Gasol for 15 minutes a game, but I'm not crazy about Bradley or Moore, or even Dooling, being our starting PG. Bradley's defense is even better than Rondo's, and Moore's outside shot is way better than Rondo's, and Dooling has a lot of experience, but none of them is a great ballhandler ... so would there be a lot of Pierce and even Ray initiating the offense? Not sure that's a good solution in the long-term (as in, for the rest of the season).

[byennie]

I'd be awfully tempted, aside from the strange feelings about any deal with LA. You put Allen, Pierce, Garnett and Gasol out there and you have plenty of ball-handlers and a suddenly deep frontcourt of Garnett / Gasol / Bass / Wilcox / JJJ / O'Neal. Might even be able to now deal one of those guys for another shooter.

Next year you're courting Dwight with a Pierce, Gasol, Howard pitch, and you've committed to getting younger by developing Bradley, JJJ and our 2 1st rounders. Pick up a veteran guard or two and things could get very interesting.

Honestly I don't see how it makes sense for the Lakers. Rondo in the triangle (where the PG spots up for 3s)? Who's going to play the 4?

Well it would be interesting anyway...

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I was just about to post this; TP for beating me to it. 

It would fill a glaring need for each team, but the dropoff at PG that such a trade would create for the Cs is concerning. Yeah, I'd love a starting frontcourt of Gasol, KG and Pierce, with JO backing up Gasol for 15 minutes a game, but I'm not crazy about Bradley or Moore, or even Dooling, being our starting PG. Bradley's defense is even better than Rondo's, and Moore's outside shot is way better than Rondo's, and Dooling has a lot of experience, but none of them is a great ballhandler ... so would there be a lot of Pierce and even Ray initiating the offense? Not sure that's a good solution in the long-term (as in, for the rest of the season).

I just realized that the salaries don't match--Rondo is at about $11M, and Gasol at about $18M--so I guess Boston would have to throw in something else ... maybe JO, who's making about $6.5M? Or maybe one or two of the young guys?

[dasani]

I'd be awfully tempted, aside from the strange feelings about any deal with LA. You put Allen, Pierce, Garnett and Gasol out there and you have plenty of ball-handlers and a suddenly deep frontcourt of Garnett / Gasol / Bass / Wilcox / JJJ / O'Neal. Might even be able to now deal one of those guys for another shooter.

Next year you're courting Dwight with a Pierce, Gasol, Howard pitch, and you've committed to getting younger by developing Bradley, JJJ and our 2 1st rounders. Pick up a veteran guard or two and things could get very interesting.

Honestly I don't see how it makes sense for the Lakers. Rondo in the triangle (where the PG spots up for 3s)? Who's going to play the 4?

Well it would be interesting anyway...

Lakers no longer use the triangle under Coach Mike Brown.

[biggbird]

beat me to it dasani!

makes sense when you consider that they don't use the triangle anymore, and with the idea of keeping some of the ballhandling responsibility away from kobe. would help preserve kobe's career, plus make the lakers a lot more effective.

im not sure how i feel about it, but i guess we have shown we can be effective without rondo this year... still my favourite player though

[2short]

Kobe wouldn't like a leader like rondo on the team.

[Neurotic Guy]

I think this makes the C's a very dangerous team this year.  Pau, KG, Paul, Ray, the bench.

I can't honestly see that I think this helps the lakers in the short run. They'd need an off-season to get their roster right in my opinion -- I just think the adjustment to the loss of size on this team (Odom and Pau) will be too much to manage this season.  Their future with AB and RR unfortunately would be off and running. 

[Celtics4ever]

I don't see it happening.

[LarBrd33]

Misleading title.  Pure speculation.  Lakers said they'd want a 25 year old ball handling guard.  That's intentionally vague... a throwaway statement.... like saying I'd love to have a 25 year old allstar center.  I'm not being coy when I say that.  You shouldn't take that as a cryptic hint and start looking up the ages of every allstar center to see who I'm talking about.... I'm just saying in general, I'd like to have a starting center in his mid 20s.

To take that throwaway comment, decide they are talking about Rondo... and then add on the "Celtics would be interested" part is just hack rumor pushing.

Anyhow... in theory, if Pau was 5 years younger I'd trade Rondo for him.  Doing so now would be stupid.  Lakers are all but certain to trade Bynum for Dwight.  A Rondo, Kobe, Dwight Laker team would be sad to watch.

[Celtics4ever]

Hoopsworld is about a reliable source as a schizophrenic.