Dallas Mavericks guard Rajon Rondo (Photo : REUTERS)
The Los Angeles Lakers will be placing all their chips on the table this coming offseason in an attempt to bounce back from the two forgetful seasons. Bleacher Report NBA writer Adam Fromal thinks the Lakers can make some buzz this free-agency period as they are in position of landing two elite free-agents: All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo and budding forward Tobias Harris.
In his latest 2015 Free-Agents Predictions, Fromal predicted the Lakers signing both Rondo and Harris. According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles, the Lakers front office and ownership are hell-bent in using all their resources and influence to make sure they can improve their roster in the final summer before the salary cap is expected to explode.
Rondo's name has been on the Lakers' radar ever since the Boston Celtics showed signs that they were willing to part ways with the pass-first point guard. In fact, general manager Mitch Kupchack made a bid to trade for Rondo, before the Dallas Mavericks snagged the All-Star playmaker by sending a first-rounder and a bevy of up-and-coming players.
Fromal stated the contingency of Rondo going to the Lakers would depend on the Mavericks' playoff run and their willingness to shell out a max contract for the guard. Moreover, his relationship with superstar Kobe Bryant could be another factor why the Lakers would be an intriguing destination for Rondo this summer.
"Yes. It's a risk, but at the right price I think it's worth it. Rondo might be hard to coach, but he's respected by players around the league and it's never a bad thing to have a pass-first point guard," Shelburne stressed.
Other than Rondo, the Lakers have also been linked the entire season to Harris, who has blossomed into a prolific scoring swingman in the league. Harris, who will become an unrestricted free-agent this offseason, can sign offer-sheet from any team but the Magic will have the rights to match it.
The Knicks and the Lakers, two big market teams with ample cap space, are the leading suitors for the Long Island native. Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders believes Harris can turn into a go-to-guy for the Lakers by the moment Bryant hangs his jersey for good. The small forward position has been the most bankrupt spot for the purple-and-gold the last two years, and a 20-point per game guy like Harris would surely address that deficiency.
"The Los Angeles Lakers could be an option as well, since he would fit in with their young core and be the leading scorer that they need for life after Kobe Bryant," Kennedy said of Harris.
