The Boston Celtics are heading into the offseason looking to make moves and the team may opt to trade Rajon Rondo to a team like the Houston Rockets if they can't pull off the trade for Kevin Love with the Timberwolves and some options for the team could be Jeremy Lin, Omer Asik or Chandler Parsons depending on how things play out and the Celtics also have a top 10 draft pick to sit back on this year.
Rondo comes in after being injured and he had a solid season while playing for the Celtics and this year the Celtics have been mentioned in the trade rumors with Kevin Love. According to ESPN.com, Love was visiting Boston this offseason and the Houston Rockets are also an option for the deal. The Rockets and Celtics each have pieces to move, but according to Pro Basketball Talk, the Rockets may think that other teams have a leg up on making the move and could bow out before the summer. The team also has a major decision to make regarding Chandler Parsons and his player option and right now reports have them not picking it up.
The Timberwolves will have some major questions to consider this offseason, as they have Kevin Love coming into what could be the last year of his contract with his opt out coming next summer in 2015. The Timberwolves likely will wait to see if the team is in contention heading into the trade deadline next season before making any moves with Love, but there's always a chance one team will floor them with a proposal this summer. Love and the Timberwolves are in a similar situation that Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard had with the Nuggets and Magic, as the teams had to weigh whether to trade their stars for something or risk losing them for nothing as free agents.
Rondo is coming off of serious surgery, but he looks healthy and he averaged over 10 points and nine assists last season while playing in 30 games. The Rockets nearly traded for Rondo last season, but the Celtics wouldn't take on Asik's money without Parsons and that nixed the deal. The Celtics have said that they want to lock up Rondo long term, but the team could change its tune if they get some draft picks or talent out of the deal. The Rockets were eliminated in the playoffs by the Blazers, but Morey feels that they are missing just a couple pieces from a championship mix.
Love has long been expected to opt out of his contract after next season in the summer of 2015 if he remains with the Timberwolves and is not traded and he has not made it clear that he is not signing an extension with the team. Minnesota convinced Love to sign and extension a couple years ago and gave him the opt out to get it done and now the clock is ticking on a trade. According to ESPN.com, Love likes the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors the best for a deal, as they are winning situations with talented rosters. The Timberwolves have so far given no indication about what they will actually do, with owner Glen Taylor saying that the team will not trade Love and other reports from ESPN.com and Pro Basketball Talk reporting that the team is open to listening to offers.
Making a deal for Rondo or Kevin Love will not be easy, but Morey has shown in the past that he is willing to think outside the box, including with the Harden deal and the trade for Patrick Patterson before last year that helped set up the Howard move down the line. Morey will have to navigate some tough waters this offseason, as he has a major decision coming with Chandler Parsons and that could affect how he tackles the Anthony or Rondo moves. The team may have to move both Asik and Lin, as each are in the final years of their deals and are getting paid a ton.
