NBA Rumors: Ties With Rob Pelinka Key To Andre Iguodala Joining Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have dodged the injury bug and are rolling. However, that does not mean that the purple and gold are done adding players. There are players below 100-percent and adding more healthy (proven) bodies makes a lot of sense. One player that has once again been mentioned is Andre Iguodala.

To date, the three-time NBA champion is waiting to see what lies ahead. The Memphis Grizzlies still own his rights and trade talks have been limited to speculations. Linking Iguodala to the Lakers is nothing new. It has been suggested several times in the past and the 35-year-old is once again in the rumor mill.

According to David Aldridge of The Athletic, seeing Iguodala join the Lakers makes a lot of sense. He has the championship experience with him but there is another factor to consider. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is his former agent, revealing yet another twist. Should it come to fruition, Iggy joining LA should provide needed help on the defensive end.

"Best combination of ring chance and role," said one unnamed executive.

Interest in Iguodala is not limited to the Lakers. Several teams who are planning a serious run remain in play. That list includes the Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets, and the Golden State Warriors, NBC Sports reported.

In a previous post, it was reported that there is a good chance that Iguodala will return to the Warriors but next season. The scenario does make sense since it would potentially be his swan song. Having won three titles and an NBA Finals MVP, the 9th overall pick of the 2004 NBA Draft barely has anything to prove anymore. It all boils down to the passion he has for the game moving forward.

The Lakers may not seem to be a team in need of Iguodala but adding him should boost their chances. The same thing holds for the Clippers who have been doing fine with Kawhi Leonard in the lead. One team that may want to aggressively pursue Iguodala are the Rockets.

Despite tagged as one of this year’s favorites, Houston has not been living up to the hype. They are 5-3 as of this writing. Their defense has drawn flak, an area where Iguodala could help out tremendously.