The Boston Celtics are dealing with Rajon Rondo trade rumors as well as connections to the Kevin Love trade talk and heading into the summer, the Houston Rockets could be a destination for Rondo if he is traded, as names like Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik are on the trading block and this comes as the Celtics are looking at Aaron Gordon in the NBA draft and players like Jared Sullinger, Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk or Kris Humphries could be moving in deals this offseason as well.
Rondo would like to stay in Boston long term and Danny Ainge has said that he wants to sign his point guard, but leading into the summer the team has some options to consider, including with Love. According to Pro Basketball Talk, Flip Saunders thinks that the Timberwolves will not get a better deal over the one the Boston Celtics are putting together, as they have the best mix of young talent and draft picks, which is what the Wolves would want in a deal for Love.
Chad Ford from ESPN.com writes that the Celtics have a number of players, including like Jared Sullinger, Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, Kelly Olynyk or Kris Humphries that could fit in a deal along with number one picks at number six and number 17 and future first rounders and that combination could be too much to pass up. The Wolves have been slow to show their hand or even say if they are trading Love or not, but he has made it clear that he wants to bounce out of Minnesota.
According to ESPN.com, the Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets are also in the mix, but what Boston has may trump the other two. The Rockets and the Bulls each need to make significant moves to even be considered, as they each have money tied up in players. The Bulls have Carlos Boozer and his contract to deal with, while the Rockets still have Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin and that money could be hard to move. The Celtics are in a rebuilding plan and making this trade would move things along quickly.
The Celtics likely would not do the deal unless Love signed long term with the team and if they keep Rondo he would be more open to doing that. ESPN.com reports that the Celtics are looking at Aaron Gordon with the number six pick if they remain there and heading into the draft rumors about where he will get drafted could influence what the team decides to do. Love is great player and so is Rondo and the Celtics need to decide how important getting Love is compared to the team they are trying to build with Brad Stevens after getting rid of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
Rondo is one of the best players in the NBA and he has established himself in Boston and does not want to get traded most likely. The Rockets have long coveted him and it will take some creative moves to clear enough space to get him into the mix for Daryl Morey.
