UPDATE (December 18 at 11:00 AM PST): According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Los Angeles Lakers offered Steve Nash and multiple draft picks to the Boston Celtics for Rajon Rondo:
[divide]Adding to @ESPNSteinLine report on Rondo from yesterday. Sources tell ESPN the Lakers also offered Boston multiple picks & Nash for Rondo
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) December 18, 2014
Rajon Rondo will be one of the most sought-after free agents when the off-season comes in 2015. However, with the Boston Celtics showing renewed interest in trading Rondo, teams have been lining up to try and pry the former All-Star from Boston.
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According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Los Angeles Lakers are one of those teams that have spoken with Boston in recent days:
ESPN sources say Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets are also among the teams to engage Celtics in Rajon Rondo trade talks in recent days
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) December 18, 2014
The Lakers are one of many teams who have had discussions as Boston seems intent on shipping Rondo out of town. They have some major competition as the Dallas Mavericks have emerged as a very serious suitor for Rondo according to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski:
The Boston Celtics are engaged in discussions on several fronts to trade All-Star guard Rajon Rondo, with the Dallas Mavericks emerging as a motivated suitor, league sources told Yahoo Sports […] As part of package, the Mavericks are willing to give Boston a 2015 first-round pick with limited lottery protection, sources told Yahoo Sports.
A veteran who won a championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, Rondo has struggled recently with injuries, but remains one of the best pure point guards in the NBA with his amazing passing ability.
The Lakers have a number of expiring contracts to offer, such as those of Steve Nash and Jeremy Lin, that could be enticing to the Celtics. Their first round pick is owed to the Phoenix Suns if it lands outside of the top five, but the Lakers do also have the Houston Rockets first round pick thanks to the Jeremy Lin trade.
Rondo also has an excellent relationship with Kobe Bryant, and the two met for breakfast before the Lakers and Celtics played in Boston earlier this month.
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