Who is going to be the starting point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers? Right now, the team has Steve Nash on the roster making a large salary while not getting any younger. Jeremy Lin is now a member of the Lakers after a trade with the Houston Rockets. He has seen time as a starter and a bench player. Both options have their pros and cons, something fans might not be thrilled about. Will that force Los Angeles to make a trade?
At this point, any point guard the Lakers would want will be expensive. The team must decide if the risky is worth it considering their current options. Nash's health track record provides very little confidence for 2014. The point guard has barely been seen on the court. Denying retirement is an option for him, Nash has no idea if he will be able to play this year or not. However, he fully intends to take up a roster spot considering how much his contract is worth in its final year. Lin should excite fans at least a little. He did well in his time with the Rockets while serving time as their starting point guard and Sixth Man. However, they moth lack the splash Lakers fans want.
According to NBA beat writer Chuck Myron, the Lakers are considering trading for Ricky Rubio this season. The move makes sense given Rubio's contract status. He has two years remaining on his current deal set to make $4 million this upcoming season and $6 million in 2015 before becoming a restricted free agent. Rubio is reportedly asking for a max contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, something that may or may not be granted depending on the future of Kevin Love.
The Timberwolves are not sold on giving Rubio the money he believes he deserves considering the point guard has not developed into the true star the team believed he would become. Already receiving calls regarding his availability, Minnesota might opt to trade him and completely rebuild the team from scratch if Love departs as well. If the Lakers want to make a move, the price tag will be high. Myron believes the team might have to give up Julius Randle in order to get Rubio and that is not worth it.
Rubio has upside, but Randle has the potential to truly develop into a star. The Lakers will have no intentions of giving up their first-round draft pick, but lack the remaining assets to make a deal for the point guard. That leaves the team hopeful that either Lin can handle the starting job or Nash returns health. With Kobe Bryant under contract for just two more years, the need to bring in a star is high, but not at the cost of Randle.