The NBA trade deadline will be reached this afternoon, so rumors are swirling like tornadoes. The latest out of Houston, fresh off a 134-point explosion in Los Angeles Wednesday night, is that they're hot after Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo. Rondo would complete a Big Three in H-Town, pairing him with two All-Stars in Dwight Howard and James Harden. ESPN's Marc Stein has been on Twitter following the developments, but the Celtics are reportedly insistent on receiving small forward Chandler Parsons in any trade.
Sources familiar w/Rockets' thinking say HOU has absolute interest in trading for Rajon Rondo. But that alone doesn't mean we'll see a deal — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 19, 2014
"Celtics, I'm told, would insist on Chandler Parsons in a theoretical Rondo deal. And Rockets, by all accounts, NOT willing to surrender CP," Stein tweeted. He then sent another tweet noting the close relationship between Celtics general manager Danny Ainge and Rockets' GM Daryl Morey.
Close relationship between Danny Ainge and Daryl Morey means talks are always easy to fire up but Celts' demands for Rondo are very high — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 19, 2014
"Sources familiar w/Rockets' thinking say HOU has absolute interest in trading for Rajon Rondo. But that alone doesn't mean we'll see a deal," Stein wrote.
According to CBSSports.com the Celtics want Parsons, Jeremy Lin, and possibly several draft picks. Although Rondo is a former All-Star, he is coming off a major ACL injury and has scored 10.5 points with 7.4 assists per game in the 11 games since his return. Rondo hasn't proven he is back to his old self, making the asking price exorbitant.
While trading for Rondo is unlikely, Lin could still be shipped out in a package with center Omer Asik for a team searching for frontcourt help. The Portland Trailblazers could be one such option, with big men LaMarcus Aldridge and Meyers Leonard battling injuries. Damian Lillard is entrenched at point guard, but Portland has depth at the spot and could deal one of their own point guards in a deal, receiving Lin in return.
Lin is averaging 13.2 points and 4.5 assists this year while splitting point guard duties with Patrick Beverley.
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