Los Angeles Lakers: How Rajon Rondo will kill any NBA Finals chances

Lake Show Life has a controversial statement that will become true if Rajon Rondo continues to get his minutes. A special report from Lake Show Life showing the many ways Rondo’s play will derail the Los Angeles Lakers chances for a title.

The Los Angeles Lakers are out of the All-Star break. The front office presumably will be working to make the roster improvements. For the Los Angeles Lakers, Friday will start the unofficial race for the top seed for the NBA postseason.

As of this writing, the Lakers are sitting at the top of the mountain of the Western Conference at 41-12 going into Friday’s matchup against Memphis. Despite the record, Lake Show Life sees a storm brewing over Lakers Nation when they make the postseason.

Rob Pelinka, Frank Vogel and his coaching staff, LeBron James and Anthony Davis will be tested on how badly they want an NBA title this year.

While the other conference contenders made moves during the trade deadline, the Lakers stood pat. That wasn’t a real issue considering the options they had were slim and none. Here’s where the issues start kicking in, it was widely believed that the team would grab someone off the buyout market. Nothing has happened.

Across the hall, the LA Clippers are starting to stack their roster with talent and Houston, quietly are making upgrades while the Lakers are still rolling with a flawed roster, needing a wing defender and backup playmaker.

While the narrative of what the reason is for the nonactivity up to this moment is chemistry, it’s hard to ignore the moves of the Los Angeles Clippers.

• The team headlines a trade featuring Moe Harkless to the New York Knicks for Marcus Morris. The Lakers hope to nab him if he gets bought out. Reports have said nothing about Harkless or the Knicks looking for a buyout.
• They immediately sign Reggie Jackson after he was waived from the Detroit Pistons. Reports are conflicting if the Lakers wanted him or not.

Don’t think the media haven’t noticed. On ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith makes a statement that the Lakers are better of with Magic Johnson running the show. Max Kellerman’s takes on Kobe Bryant? Man, please just stop.

Since no one will bring the real issue to light, Lake Show Life will step to the forefront and tell the Lakers faithful what the real issue is with the team. It’s one player that is the negative dynamic that will cost the Lakers a realistic chance at the NBA Finals. No check that, the Western Conference Finals. His name?

Rajon Rondo.

Rondo has gotten a ton of criticism on this website. Some of our regular readers are starting to notice as well. It has been well documented from every NBA media outlet that the offense drops off the cliff when LeBron James sits down to rest. It makes no sense when one player (LeBron) affects the efficiency of an offense.

• The Lakers have consistently been a top-three ranked offense all season long when King James runs the offense.
• The Lakers are 28th in the NBA when LeBron James sits down to rest. Coincidence? No. This article will break down why.

Rajon Rondo has been inefficient this season, to say the least. At the beginning of the season, Frank Vogel said that he was an improved shooter. After a couple of weeks, that has fallen off.  This affects the floor spacing and his confidence to take the open shot when needed.

Defensively? Come on, quit it. He hasn’t played any defense of any magnitude since the championship years in Boston about a decade ago. Check the roster back then. His teammates may have covered a ton of his mistakes.

Lake Show Life will make the declaration here. This writer will stand by it and will be waiting for the playoffs for this prediction to come true.

• Assuming that Rob Pelinka does not bring in a player to back up LeBron James as the playmaker and believes the roster is good enough as is.
• Assuming Frank Vogel continues to give Rajon Rondo upwards to 20 minutes a game.
• The fact that Rajon Rondo will pick up his game is not an assumption. He won’t, he is the same player that played his way out of numerous NBA franchises.

The Los Angeles Lakers will not make it out of the second round of the playoffs with Rajon Rondo taking away minutes from players that offer more off the bench and not living off past reputations.

Let’s make one thing perfectly clear before the discussion starts. This is based on the Los Angeles Lakers NOT making any moves to improve the playmaking issues on the roster.