Would the Lakers deal their 2014 1st for Rondo?

[Moranis]

I think they might trade the pick if it isn't in the top 3 (I can't see them passing up Parker, Wiggins, or Embiid).  Kobe seems to really like Rondo and with Kobe's age they have a fairly limited window.  I think Nash plus the 1st for Rondo makes a great deal of sense for both teams.  Boston gets to rebuild with two high draft picks and LA gets a second star to pair with Kobe and still has cap room for that third star.  Rondo is also good enough to make LA relevant again as early as next year (even if they don't land a big name free agent this summer, they could re-up Pau for a year and then try again in 2015, but still have a pretty solid team in 14-15 with Rajon, Kobe, and Pau).  Assuming Nash didn't retire, Boston could either buy him out or try to move him someplace he would want to go. 

[ddb]

I wrote about this possibility on realgm.  Things need to work out a certain way in order for this to happen.

#1- Celtics would need to be Top 3 in the draft. 

#2- Lakers would need to be 4-6 in the draft

So lets pretend that the draft order looks something like this:

Magic- Wiggins
Celtics- Embiid
Bucks- Exum or Parker
Lakers- Exum or Parker
Sixers- Randle

The Lakers have Kobe signed to a lot of money over the next 2 years.  So they will look to win NOW.  One way to jump start that quick process would be for them to dangle whoever they draft at #4 (Exum/Parker) along with the 10 million owed to Steve Nash (if he doesn't retire) in exchange for Rondo.  And if Boston drafts a player like Embiid or Wiggins, who may take 2-3 years to develop into a star, then they might decide to cash in on Rondo and take advantage of the situation by adding in another Top 5 pick.  drafting TWO players Top 5 is extremely rare in this league. 

The Lakers because of past trades would need to actually sign the # 4 pick before trading him because of their trade with Phoenix (Nash deal).  So Boston and LAL could agree in principal to a deal but it couldn't become official until after free agency begins/Period when rookies can sign. 

The deal would look like this.  Steve Nash + player picked at # 4 in exchange for Rondo.

Lakers do this and pair Rondo/Kobe.  They would then likely make their best attempt at Carmelo Anthony.  and I think in this scenario they get him.  Why wouldn't he?  NY is a mess.  LAL would be back in contention next season with a core of Rondo/Kobe/Melo/Gasol..fire Mike D and hire Phil Jackson and you're back in business. 

For Boston they would have their foundation set in #2 pick/#4 pick/#18ish pick/Sully/KO/coach  Stevens and a ton of assets moving forward.  Ainge would likely buyout Nash and then look to deal Green, Wallace, Bass.  Wallace will again be tough to move so the stretch provision is a possibility or they can have him sit at the end of the bench and wait until the deadline.  Bass is in his final year next season so no rush on dealing him either. 

I deal I would love for Boston to make under this scenario is Green/Pressey/Faverani to Atl for Lou Williams/Carroll/Schroeder.

Boston brings in another young asset in Schroeder who could start and grow into his potential.  To me, he has the potential to be Rondo anyway...


Bottom line is....things will get really interesting this offseason. 

[CoachBo]

The market for Rondo around the league has NEVER been what people on this blog perceived it to be.

No shock there.

[smiggity]

Lakers do this and pair Rondo/Kobe.  They would then likely make their best attempt at Carmelo Anthony.  and I think in this scenario they get him.  Why wouldn't he?  NY is a mess.  LAL would be back in contention next season with a core of Rondo/Kobe/Melo/Gasol..fire Mike D and hire Phil Jackson and you're back in business. 

Disagree with this. The Kobe/Carmelo combo has disaster written all over it and I think LAL would wait one more year for Love.

[ddb]

The market for Rondo around the league has NEVER been what people on this blog perceived it to be.

No shock there.

which is exactly why the Lakers make the most sense.  Here's what we know.  Melo was "recruiting" Rondo to join him in NY.  Kobe respects Rondo.  The Lakers are rumored to be interested in Melo (once LeBron stays in Miami)....Boston is rumored to be open to dealing Rondo for the right package (which would be a Top 5 pick in this years draft). 
So if the ping pong balls work out a certain way then this deal becomes a real possibility.  Again, Boston would need to be Top 3.  LA would have to be 4-7.  Otherwise it doesn't work.  the lakers are smart.  They know having Rondo there with Kobe helps their recruiting pitch to Free Agents.  No star players are gonna want to play with old man Kobe and Gasol.  But if you add Rondo to the mix then suddenly you get Carmelo to sign and then a player like Gasol signs on at a discount

[ddb]

Lakers do this and pair Rondo/Kobe.  They would then likely make their best attempt at Carmelo Anthony.  and I think in this scenario they get him.  Why wouldn't he?  NY is a mess.  LAL would be back in contention next season with a core of Rondo/Kobe/Melo/Gasol..fire Mike D and hire Phil Jackson and you're back in business. 

Disagree with this. The Kobe/Carmelo combo has disaster written all over it and I think LAL would wait one more year for Love.

Not if Rondo is there.  Kobe isn't going to come back the Kobe of old.  He's gonna have to morph into a complimentary guy...Melo on the other hand is getting to that point in his career where he's going to start sacrificing to win..his scoring 28ppg and losing in the 1st round isn't the legacy he wants for himself.  you would be surprised at how well Rondo/Kobe/Melo would mesh.  And remember, Kobe/Melo have played Olympics together.  They know how to share the ball. 
and the Lakers could still go after Love in 2015.  Rondo would be a free agent and if they play their cards right they would only sign Gasol to a 1 year deal.  if Rondo/Love wanted to play with Love they would make it work financially. 

[gpap]

Lakers do this and pair Rondo/Kobe.  They would then likely make their best attempt at Carmelo Anthony.  and I think in this scenario they get him.  Why wouldn't he?  NY is a mess.  LAL would be back in contention next season with a core of Rondo/Kobe/Melo/Gasol..fire Mike D and hire Phil Jackson and you're back in business. 

Disagree with this. The Kobe/Carmelo combo has disaster written all over it and I think LAL would wait one more year for Love.

Kobe/Melo might be a disaster BUT I think there would be a TON of mutual interest between the two parties.

Also, correct me if I am wrong, but the Lakers should have enough cap space this summer where they can deal for Rondo, land Melo and then get Love in free agency in 2015.

[clover]

I wrote about this possibility on realgm.  Things need to work out a certain way in order for this to happen.

#1- Celtics would need to be Top 3 in the draft. 

#2- Lakers would need to be 4-6 in the draft

So lets pretend that the draft order looks something like this:

Magic- Wiggins
Celtics- Embiid
Bucks- Exum or Parker
Lakers- Exum or Parker
Sixers- Randle

The Lakers have Kobe signed to a lot of money over the next 2 years.  So they will look to win NOW.  One way to jump start that quick process would be for them to dangle whoever they draft at #4 (Exum/Parker) along with the 10 million owed to Steve Nash (if he doesn't retire) in exchange for Rondo.  And if Boston drafts a player like Embiid or Wiggins, who may take 2-3 years to develop into a star, then they might decide to cash in on Rondo and take advantage of the situation by adding in another Top 5 pick.  drafting TWO players Top 5 is extremely rare in this league. 

The Lakers because of past trades would need to actually sign the # 4 pick before trading him because of their trade with Phoenix (Nash deal).  So Boston and LAL could agree in principal to a deal but it couldn't become official until after free agency begins/Period when rookies can sign. 

The deal would look like this.  Steve Nash + player picked at # 4 in exchange for Rondo.

Lakers do this and pair Rondo/Kobe.  They would then likely make their best attempt at Carmelo Anthony.  and I think in this scenario they get him.  Why wouldn't he?  NY is a mess.  LAL would be back in contention next season with a core of Rondo/Kobe/Melo/Gasol..fire Mike D and hire Phil Jackson and you're back in business. 

For Boston they would have their foundation set in #2 pick/#4 pick/#18ish pick/Sully/KO/coach  Stevens and a ton of assets moving forward.  Ainge would likely buyout Nash and then look to deal Green, Wallace, Bass.  Wallace will again be tough to move so the stretch provision is a possibility or they can have him sit at the end of the bench and wait until the deadline.  Bass is in his final year next season so no rush on dealing him either. 

I deal I would love for Boston to make under this scenario is Green/Pressey/Faverani to Atl for Lou Williams/Carroll/Schroeder.

Boston brings in another young asset in Schroeder who could start and grow into his potential.  To me, he has the potential to be Rondo anyway...


Bottom line is....things will get really interesting this offseason.

I think if a team like Orlando gets the #1 pick, they are likely to trade down to #2 or #3 for a team that really wants Embiid.

[smiggity]

Kobe/Melo might be a disaster BUT I think there would be a TON of mutual interest between the two parties.

Also, correct me if I am wrong, but the Lakers should have enough cap space this summer where they can deal for Rondo, land Melo and then get Love in free agency in 2015.

It would be extremely difficult for LAL to fit Kobe, Rondo, Carmelo, AND Love on their 2015-16 roster. Kobe is signed at ~$24.5 million for the 2016 season. Rondo would have a ~$12.5 million cap hold (LAL would have Bird rights and would give him a near max extension). Even if Carmelo signed for only ~$15 million per year this summer, the LAL would have consumed $51.5 million of 2016 cap space in those three players alone. I don't know what the 2016 salary cap will be (it will be higher than the $58.679 million 2013-14 cap), but it won't leave much room.

I do not pretend to be an expert on the new CBA, though, so please correct me if I am wrong.

[gpap]

Kobe/Melo might be a disaster BUT I think there would be a TON of mutual interest between the two parties.

Also, correct me if I am wrong, but the Lakers should have enough cap space this summer where they can deal for Rondo, land Melo and then get Love in free agency in 2015.

It would be extremely difficult for LAL to fit Kobe, Rondo, Carmelo, AND Love on their 2015-16 roster. Kobe is signed at ~$24.5 million for the 2016 season. Rondo would have a ~$12.5 million cap hold (LAL would have Bird rights and would give him a near max extension). Even if Carmelo signed for only ~$15 million per year this summer, the LAL would have consumed $51.5 million of 2016 cap space in those three players alone. I don't know what the 2016 salary cap will be (it will be higher than the $58.679 million 2013-14 cap), but it won't leave much room.

I do not pretend to be an expert on the new CBA, though, so please correct me if I am wrong.

I am right there with you. As clueless on CBA stuff as you can imagine.

We need a Steve Urkel type to break down the numbers for us (lol.)

[Celtics18]

After the deadline, it's become quite clear that the market for Rondo is not what we may have thought.

I think it's more the case that Ainge values Rondo more highly than many may have thought. 

That is to say, the reason Rondo is still here is because Ainge doesn't want to get rid of him, not because nobody else wants him. 

[gpap]

After the deadline, it's become quite clear that the market for Rondo is not what we may have thought.

I think it's more the case that Ainge values Rondo more highly than many may have thought. 

That is to say, the reason Rondo is still here is because Ainge doesn't want to get rid of him, not because nobody else wants him.

I had posted the following below in response to another fan in this thread, who brought up a similar point.

I am just going by what Danny Ainge said. Last week he was on the Hub with Felger and mentioned something along the lines of "20 of the 30 teams in the NBA already have a point guard, hence have no need for Rondo."

Back to the Lakers, yeah with old man Nash likely retiring, I can see them needing an established point guard and be willing to give up their pick.

[Rondohara]

#1 No helping the Lakers (getting more banners then us?)

#2 No trading Rondo, specially since no one will give the proper return.

#3 Not trading a star for the draft pipe dream.

#4 No helping the Lakers.

#5 No Lakers personal or fans would do this trade unless they have a real super-team in the making.
In this case see points 1,4 and 7

#6 Wait and see where their pick will be... Overall first in the "lottery" probably.

#7 NO HELPING THE LAKERS 

[gpap]

#1 No helping the Lakers (getting more banners then us?)

#2 No trading Rondo, specially since no one will give the proper return.

#3 Not trading a star for the draft pipe dream.

#4 No helping the Lakers.

#5 No Lakers personal or fans would do this trade unless they have a real super-team in the making.
In this case see points 1,4 and 7

#6 Wait and see where their pick will be... Overall first in the "lottery" probably.

#7 NO HELPING THE LAKERS 

I am not convinced trading Rondo for a pick in the top 10 range is "helping the Lakers" any more than it is helping the Celtics.

[slamtheking]

Yup. I also think the Lakers would deal us their pick EVEN if it's in the top 3. I really do.

I think with Kobe entering his final years, they are going to be so desprate for starts they would even deal a Wiggins for Rondo.

I understand your sentiment on this but I don't think they'd be that short sighted to trade away the 'next big thing' to keep Kobe happy for 2 more years and kill their franchise after Kobe retires