The Boston Celtics have remained steadfast about not trading Rajon Rondo, but players like Brandon Bass, Avery Bradley and Jeff Green are in the mix for Danny Ainge and the team has explored a number of potential trades, including with the Cavaliers for Dion Waiters after he fell out of favor in Cleveland.
The Celtics have explored a number of trades already this season and they nearly dealt for Omer Asik with the Houston Rockets, but that fell through and now there is a chance that Waiters could be an option. According to Grantland.com, the Celtics have looked into trading for Waiters, as the Cavaliers have been shopping him for months after he had a blow up with Kyrie Irving and he also has reportedly disrespected Mike Brown at times. Waiters was a former top 10 pick and the report says that Ainge could look to get him and that a change of scenery could be the best move for a guy with "low risk" and a "high upside" if it works out.
The Celtics have been looking to trade Bass and other names, but it's unclear if the Cavaliers would be interested in that deal. The Celtics have been connected to more than most teams due to the fact that they are in such a rebuilding mode, but Ainge won't blow things up for just the sake of it. Rondo has been mentioned going anywhere and nowhere, as he was linked to the Knicks, Houston Rockets and Kings and this is all as Ainge says he will not be traded.
Trading for Waiters would be very interesting, as he was a top five overall pick at number four for the Cavs and that means he has plenty of potential and there's a chance that the Cavs just aren't the right fit for him. The Suns have shown interest in Brandon Bass and that could be an option, as they are looking to make a playoff run and want a veteran forward or center to come along for the ride.
Jeff Green has come up in trade rumors as well and he has interest from the Atlanta Hawks and other teams and this all comes after the Celtics traded away Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, which kicked off all this speculation in the first place. Rondo is coming off of an ACL injury and the team has said they want to sign him long term, but if they are rebuilding for five years, that would waste the prime of the point guard and that is something he likely does not want to do.
Rondo is heading into the age of 28 and while he is still young, those years can go by fast when teams are losing and while Ainge will be open to listening to offers, it depends on what he gets offered. Green is making $19 million over the rest of his deal and with Bass making $7 million he could be an option for someone like the suns or the Warriors depending on how things shake out over the final week before the deadline.
