Several NBA executives believe the Los Angeles Lakers will “make a strong run” at Rajon Rondo next summer in free agency, according to a Sports Illustrated report by Chris Mannix.
The Celtics point guard is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Los Angeles will have over $30 million in cap space in the summer of 2015 and it covets a star player to place next to the aging Kobe Bryant. Rondo and the Celtics have said all the right things regarding the point guard staying in Boston for the long-haul and it is highly unlikely that C’s president of basketball operations Danny Ainge would let Rondo walk — especially right into the arms of the Lakers — next summer without getting anything in return. But the longer the Celtics and Rondo go without a deal [or trade] this season there will be increased speculation regarding where No. 9 will be playing basketball by the start of the 2015-16 NBA season. A sign-and-trade with the Lakers could be possible next summer but in terms of a Celtics — Lakers straight-up swap this season, the chances of that are slim considering L.A. would have few enticing chips to offer Ainge.