The Houston Rockets may look at a Rajon Rondo trade this summer and the Boston Celtics have been dealing with Rondo trade rumors since last season and things could pick back up again now that the Houston Rockets missed out on big name free agents and players like Jared Sullinger or Jeff Green could be involved in deals as well.
The Celtics are coming off of a tough season after Brad Stevens took over, but the team showed some progress and now they come back this year after drafting Marcus Smart in the top 10 of the draft. According to ESPN.com, Marc Stein reports that the Rockets are interested in making a deal for Rondo or Kevin Love this offseason after missing on Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh in free agency, while the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings also could be interested.
Stein writes that the Rockets could look at picking up on the Rondo or Love trade rumors this offseason if other deals fall through, as they are still looking to make major moves. The Rockets blew things with Chris Bosh and Chandler Parsons and they also lost out on Carmelo Anthony and now Daryl Morey is in a tough spot, but he does have cap space. The team moves Jeremy Lin to the Lakers and also traded Omer Asik to the New Orleans Pelicans and now they have some cap space to work with.
The team has long been interested in Rondo and he could be a major upgrade over Patrick Beverley. The Rockets liked Beverley enough last season to start him over Lin, but they feel that adding a point guard like Rondo could put the team to the top of the west and Dwight Howard would be helped by a player like Rondo as well. Last season Chandler Parsons averaged a career high 16 points and now Howard says that the team will not be affected by his absence this year.
Rondo played in 30 games last season after returning from injury and the Celtics so far have been unwilling to trade him, even after dealing Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Rondo averaged 11 points and nearly 10 assists last season and he is considered to be one of the best PGs in the league. The Rockets would have to give up picks to get a deal done, as they do not have many assets to move player-wise and that could make a deal tougher. The Celtics also have to decide if they even want to deal Rondo this offseason.
The Rockets signed Trevor Ariza this offseason and while Dwight Howard said the team will be fine without Parsons after losing him to the Mavs, the team needs to make up his offense. Ariza will be a solid option after his season in Washington and he is coming in on a four-year, $32 million contract to help replace the scoring for Parsons and he also is an above average defender. Parsons was a very solid player for the Rockets and he now is with the Mavs after Houston did not match his offer sheet.
