On the Gasol for Rondo rumors

There's nothing pleasant about this rumor, especially it's refusal to die. For that reason and for the sake of argument lets pretend that means its legitimate.

1. I don't want to give up on Rondo. I'm a believer that we haven't seen his best yet. People need to remember at 26 Rondo is still a young man by normal standards and by basketball ones he has yet to reach his peak. It's also worth noting that Rondo has yet to play with teammates who best complement his style of play. He's built for speed but there's never been anyone for him to run the break with. Re-signing Jeff Green next year and using the cap space to surround Rondo with young athletic players would keep the Celtics in the mix.

2. Gasol and Garnett would be a formidable frontcourt. Oddly enough they could make a perfect match. Gasol, always looking for more touches and Garnett, always willing to give the ball up. With Pau down low demanding double teams KG's midrange game would thrive. Not to mention Pau is always top 10 in rebounding, not exactly one of the Celtic's strengths.

3. Giving up Rondo would mean Honey Badger would slide into the starting five. His offensive limitations can be glaring but what should be even harder to miss is how the team responds to his energy. When your point guard is getting on the floor after loose balls, fighting for rebounds, and making good cuts off the ball, it forces everyone to do the same. Offensively his jumper is just as inconsistent as Rondo's but it's undeniable his confidence has grown. His dunk on Durant is evidence of that. He's been pushing the pace and looking to get out ahead of people which is a great sign. Despite all that the Celtic's would still struggle without Rondo playing quarterback. Ray and Paul have so much of their offense generated by #9. Ray's numbers in particular would suffer as he has lost all ability to create his own shot.

That's pretty much all I have on this one. Based on just basketball x's and o's I can't lean either way. Best case scenario this trade would make us more legit contenders this year. Worst case Rondo blossoms in LA, wins a ring with Kobe and possibly Dwight. That's another thing, giving up Rondo would also be to give up any chance we have of landing Howard, and as is it doesn't look good. At the end of the day I could never support this trade. If Pau was still with the Grizzlies it might be a different story. I guess we'll never know.