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Report: Celtics “aggressively” shopping Rajon Rondo

Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo (9) shoots over Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Knight in the second half of their NBA basketball game in Boston

Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo (9) shoots over Detroit Pistons guard Brandon Knight in the second half of their NBA basketball game in Boston, Massachusetts February 15, 2012. REUTERS/Brian Snyder (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

REUTERS

You know changes are coming to the Boston Celtics over the next few months — if not at the trade deadline certainly over the summer.

The logical progression seemed to be the older “Big Three” — Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett — would be on their way out and Rajon Rondo would be the bridge to the future.

But rumors that GM Danny Ainge and the Celtics are looking to move Rondo just keep coming up, making you wonder how much fire there is behind all the smoke. The latest bit of smoke comes from Chris Broussard at ESPN (via ESPNBoston.com).

Boston is aggressively shopping Rondo, according to sources. The Celtics find Rondo’s personality to be too high-maintenance and his clashes with coach Doc Rivers continue. With the Celtics having realized they are no longer title contenders, they don’t believe the payoff is worth the headaches Rondo brings, sources say. And they do not want to build around him.

If true — and that’s a big if — the challenge for the Celtics will be how to get equal value for Rondo. Rondo is not one of the game’s truly transcendent players — he is not Chris Paul or Derrick Rose at the point, he is a step behind them. He is still one of the best point guards in the league, an All-Star, but getting someone back of equal caliber is going to be challenging. The Celtics don’t want to just move him for parts, but they are not going to get someone like Pau Gasol out of the Lakers for him.

Still, this is something to watch. If the Celtics can find a deal it would be a blockbuster.