Rondo's incredible performance against the New York Knicks on Sunday has many NBA analysts thinking that the young point guard played himself off the trading block and that the Boston Celtics will be keeping him. There is almost no Howard-to-LA talk going on anymore as many think the Orlando Magic won't move the soon-to-be free agent Howard before the deadline.
If the Lakers are unable to obtain one of these two players by the trade deadline, they shouldn't engage in a trade that would blow up a roster that has finally started to come together and play as a team.
In the last few games, Pau Gasol has improved his play after being heavily impacted by trade talks that centered around him. With Gasol back on board, the Lakers have a chance to be competitive in the Western Conference with the team they have now. They may not be favorites, but they will be a tough out for any team in a seven-game series.
In their last 10 games, the Lakers have been extremely impressive, going 8-2 during the stretch. They have erased the gap between themselves and the Los Angeles Clippers in the race for the Pacific Division title.
During the stretch, the Lakers have gotten some quality wins against would-be playoff teams including home victories against the Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trailblazers and Miami Heat. They went on the road to take down the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks. A trade for Rondo would have turned this team into an instant top-notch squad as the Lakers continue to struggle with point guard play. As a top, young point guard, Rondo would have given the Lakers much more freedom on offense and taken pressure off of Kobe Bryant.
If the Lakers would have managed to bring in Howar...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
