BOSTON – The Celtics are reportedly considering trading Rajon Rondo.
Again.
“It’s a way of life since I’ve been here,” Rondo said.
Rondo said he hadn’t spoken with Boston general manager Danny Ainge or anyone else from the front office since the latest round of rumors came out.
But the Celtics are reportedly talking with the Mavericks and Rockets about Rondo, who could leave Boston as an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
The Dallas Mavericks are serious suitors for Rajon Rondo, league sources tell Yahoo Sports. Houston's discussed Rondo deal with Boston too.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 18, 2014
Boston's discussing Rondo trades on multiple fronts, but Mavericks are showing an increasing interest in deal for Rondo, sources tell Yahoo.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 18, 2014
The Boston Celtics, after years of flirting with potential Rajon Rondo deals, are in substantive discussions on a trade that would send Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks, according to league sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that the Celtics and Mavericks have been discussing a swap that would furnish Boston with multiple draft picks -- including at least one future first-rounder -- as well as blossoming Mavericks center Brandan Wright and other players needed to make the salary-cap math work.
Sources say the Celtics also have been talking to teams such as the Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks about potential Rondo deals, but that the most advanced discussions so far have been with Dallas.
Rondo would be an awesome fit with the Mavericks, who are scoring at a historically high rate with Jameer Nelson and Devin Harris running point. No offense to those two, but Rondo would be a huge upgrade.
He could create jumpers for Dirk Nowitzki and Chandler Parsons, who’d space the floor in return. Rondo could also run pick-and-roll after pick-and-roll with Tyson Chandler, a great finisher at the rim. Defensively, Dallas could use Rondo’s ball-stopping on defense.
But it’s difficult to see what the Mavericks would give up.
They just signed Chandler Parsons this offseason, made him feel at home and bragged about their commitment to chemistry. Other than Parsons, Dallas doesn’t have a single starter younger than 29 (Monta Ellis). Even its sixth man, Harris, is 31.
Trading Rondo for Brandon Wright and Raymond Felton would meet the league’s cap rules, but that’s obviously not enough for Boston. The Mavericks would have to add a draft pick or two – or three. At least Dallas has all its upcoming first rounders.
Wright, 27, has been extremely successful in limited minutes in Dallas, where he fits the system to a T. His $5 million salary would likely be necessary to facilitate a deal, but his contract is expiring. Do the Celtics think they could get similar production from him in a larger role? Do they think he’d re-sign? Those questions could go a long way in determining whether this deal gets off the ground.
Then, there’s just the matter of haggling over draft picks, no easy task.
The Rockets have a larger collection of young talent – including Patrick Beverley, Donatas Motiejunas, Tarik Black, Kostas Papanikolaou and Terrence Jones – but no single player who wows. Houston also has a valuable first rounder incoming from the Pelicans as a result of the Omer Asik trade.
The Mavericks have been down this road before without finding a deal. So have the Kings – and the Knicks, who don’t have the assets to trade for Rondo now. The Rockets seem to discuss every available player in the league.
The smoke here doesn’t necessarily equal a fire (or a fire sale).
For his part, Rondo said he stills stands by what he said before the season, a claim he reiterated last month: He enjoys playing for the Celtics. In particular, he pointed to his younger and developing teammates adding joy in Boston.
“I’m enjoying life,” Rondo said.
Even if that life includes more trade rumors.
