Since we're on a "dispelling rumors" binge… here's Woj on WEEI today dispelling the popular rumor that the Celtics and Lakers have had discussions about a Rajon Rondo for Pau Gasol trade.
“I think that LA certainly wants a point guard, there’s no question. I know Kobe [Bryant]loves Rondo, and he’d love to play with him. I’ve also been told, for all the talk about that Gasol [rumor] … I’ve been told the two teams never ever discussed — LA had never called Boston and they’ve never discussed it. I don’t think it’s anything that’s really based in any reality.”
Here's how this whole rumor got started:
- Pau Gasol was almost traded for Chris Paul… indicating the Laker willingness to move him. They've never backed off that willingness.
- Rajon Rondo was almost traded for Chris Paul… indicating the Celtics willingness to move him. They have since, multiple times, backed off that willingness… saying they'd only trade him for a megastar.
- Mitch Kupchak made this comment: "Well, if there were a way for us to get a 25-year-old, All-Star, ball handling guard we'd love to do it." There's only one of those in the league… and he wears #9 for Boston.
POOF. Rumor. And the lazy-asses at big-name outlets kept casually dropping it like it had credence when it didn't.
I'm not posting this to add any fuel to the Rondo stuff… or to beat a dead horse. I'm posting this to show some of you how rumors start, why they don't go away, and why, if you pay attention, you can spot rumors that have something to them and rumors that don't.
Never discount the laziness of certain "insiders" which, coupled with the need to fill countless hours of air time, lead to the casual dropping of names in conjunction with one another even though they never bothered to pick up a phone or a blackberry to confirm some of these rumors. This is just one example.
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