The Boston Celtics may have some Rajon Rondo trade rumors to deal with heading into the latter part of the summer, as the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers have emerged as potential targets for the star along with Jeff Green if the teams can convince Danny Ainge to make a deal and this comes as Evan Turner has emerged as a free agent target for the Celtics and Timberwolves.
The Celtics have been reluctant to trade Rondo since he is such a dynamic player, but if the team truly is rebuilding, they could look at trading him for more picks after taking Marcus Smart in the draft this year. According to ESPN reporter Marc Stein, the Rockets could potentially look at Rondo as a trade target now that they have missed out on the big free agents like Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh.
ESPN.com also reports with CBS Sports that the Celtics and Timberwolves are looking at Evan Turner as an option in free agency. CBS reports that Turner is getting interest from Minnesota and Boston and that the Celtics are looking at signing him after averaging a career best 14 points per game along with five rebounds last season. Turner is not a great shooter, but he was a former number two pick and plays solid defense and he comes into the offseason after playing for the Pacers, which followed his trade from the Sixers.
The Rockets also lost Chandler Parsons after making him a restricted free agent and now one could argue the team is not as talented as they were last season General manager Daryl Morey made a nice move by signing Trevor Ariza to a four year deal, but the team likely needs more than that to make a championship run this season.
The Celtics made another shrewd move and added a first round pick in that three team deal with Cleveland and Brooklyn, so they could potentially turn that into a deal as well. Boston was mentioned earlier in the offseason as an option for the Kevin Love trade and according to Pro Basketball Talk, Danny Ainge is still open to the idea of making a move. Trading for Love means keeping Rondo, but the team would likely have to give up a combo of Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley and first round picks and possibly more.
Ainge has been trying to build things back since making the big trade of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce and now Rondo is the main holdover from that championship era. The Celtics signed back Bradley to a deal and now their biggest question is about trading Rondo or not. Adding someone like Turner is not a major move, but players like that can help teams win and the Celtics are trying to build that type of attitude. Ainge still has moves he can make and clearly he will consider all options and if he keeps Rondo, it will be looked at as a wise move.
The Celtics have a number of holes still and they could use some help up front, but a player like Turner could help Brad Stevens manage minutes and it likely will go much better than it did in Indiana, as he basically did not get into the rotation in the playoffs for the team.
