Rajon Rondo has continued to come up in trade rumors this season and the Houston Rockets are looking like a contender to pull off a deal with the Boston Celtics and Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik could be involved as well if Daryl Morey and Danny Ainge can agree on first round picks as compensation.
Marc Stein from ESPN.com reports that the Rockets have "absolute interest" in trading for Rondo and that they would consider moving first round picks to get it done. So far this season it has been reported that the Rockets want a first round pick for Asik in any deals they make and that the team would not be willing to give up any. Bulls.com reported that the Celtics, while they aren't shopping Rondo, if they did, it would cost at least two first round picks. Stein writes that no deal is happening and no deal may happen (yeah), but that the Rockets will consider pulling the trigger.
The Rockets and Celtics previously had been engaged in trade talks earlier in the season, but that was regarding Omer Asik and at that time, the deal was hung up on compensation in the form of draft picks. Both Daryl Morey and Danny Ainge came into the December deal looking for draft picks and neither wanted to give up too much and that eventually led to things withering out. Now it appears that talks are back on between the two teams, as Marc Stein from ESPN.com is reporting that while there is no imminent deal coming, Houston has "absolute interest" in making a move for the star point guard.
More than just Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik would likely be in the deal, but that is a bit down the line and now as the trading deadline is just 24 hours away, things will start to heat up even more. Rondo has been mentioned more than anyone on both sides, as it has been said that he absolutely will not be traded, while other reports have said the Celtics are considering it. The Toronto Raptors and the Sacramento Kings reportedly asked about Rondo, but obviously neither of those deals moved past that stage.
The Rockets have Omer Asik and they have been looking to trade him all season and reports from today also said that the Sixers would be a solid option to make a move. The Sixers have cap space and they could become a third team on the deal to help absorb some salary, while the Celtics would be looking at getting the lions share for the future. Fox Sports reports that Morey will not put Chandler Parsons in any deal, but Lin could be on the table, as it was reported by ESPN.com that the Knicks may be interested in trading for him again.
Rondo and Asik have been the two players mentioned the most and for the most part none of the deals have sounded very realistic and this one likely will not go down either. The trade deadline is made for these rumors and it looks as though the Celtics and the Rockets are going to make a deal, it just might not be the ones that everyone is thinking, especially when it comes to Rondo and Asik. Only time will tell on this one.
