The Boston Celtics have Rajon Rondo back in the lineup and now that the point guard has expressed his desire to remain in the city, the team may get him to try and recruit some superstars to join up in 2014 and while some of the top names probably won't sign there, it's interesting to see what sway Rondo could have if he pitches to LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Luol Deng, Zach Randolph, Danny Granger or Pau Gasol to come to bean town.
According to ESPN.com, Rondo said that he hopes to remain in Boston for the next "decade" and that he wants to get the team back to where it was when they were winning championships. That may be the biggest issue for Rondo, as the Celtics are at square one after making the Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce trade and with the loss of Doc Rivers, the team has a new identity in Brad Stevens.
Rondo is one of the most dynamic point guards in the NBA and while he can be a hard player to play with, superstars need wing men and he is the perfect one. James likely will remain in Miami and while those players above may not move, there is a chance that Rondo could at least give it a try to see if any would come to Boston, as that would be the fastest way to get back to playoff contention in the east.
The eastern conference is very weak and past the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers there is not too much left and that means the Celtics could have an opening if they play things the right way. If the team can snag one of those players, they will at least be back in the mix in the east due to Rondo and since the team has as many draft picks over the next two years as the Knicks and Nets have combined over the next five, there is a good chance they can rebuild and win at the same time, but that of course is dependent on who they sign.
The 27-year-old is hitting his prime years and pairing with a star like James or someone like Deng could transform the club. The Bulls ill work to get Deng back after trading him to the Cavaliers, but someone could sneak in and snag him and he was leading the team in scoring with Derrick Rose out and was at one point averaging 16.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and a steal per game and that would fit very well alongside Rondo.
Danny Granger is an interesting option as well, as he could come on the cheaper end since he has been injured the past couple seasons, while Randolph likely will be leaving Memphis after those trade rumors this season. Anthony is a wild card but Boston is not the place he will sign, while rumors say the Knicks desperately want Rondo. Keep an eye on this as things develop.