The Boston Celtics have trade chips at the deadline this season, as Rajon Rondo, Jeff Green, Evan Turner, Brandon Bass and Gerald Wallace all could be targets for teams like the Houston Rockets, NY Knicks, Indiana Pacers, LA Lakers, Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls or Los Angeles Clippers as the playoffs get closer, as those players could make major impacts down the stretch.
The Celtics have been mentioned in trade rumors with Rondo for quite some time, but they have never come close to making a deal and right now nothing is imminent. Danny Ainge has said that he wants to sign Rondo to a new contract once he hits free agency this summer, but Pro Basketball Talk reports that others see it differently. PBT writes that executives think that Ainge has to trade Rondo this season, as there is no guarantee that he will return and could lose him for nothing.
Grantland.com writer Zach Lowe has written about what the Celtics should do and he speculated that the team will keep Rondo and work on signing him as a free agent. Rondo will be looking for a max deal and the Celtics will have money to spend on the cap next summer when he hits the free agent market, while Marc Gasol is also reportedly a target. Jeff Green should also be a target on the trade market, as he is heading towards free agency since he has a player option and is expected to opt out.
The Celtics will have money to spend and how they shape up this season could dictate whether Ainge makes moves or not. The team has plenty of trade options with Green, Evan Turner, Rondo, Bass and Gerald Wallace and some of those moves could be salary cap trades for other teams. The Celtics could try and get something out of Turner, which would be similar to what the team did with Jordan Crawford last season.
Turner was an affordable, low risk high reward signing like Crawford, as his expectations were low and he could potentially play well. It happened with Crawford and he was later traded to the Golden State Warriors. The Celtics also could look at moving Rondo in a major package, but that would depend on what teams are willing to offer. The Rockets have long been considered an option and Marc Stein wrote over the summer that the team would check in on Rondo.
The Rockets have been off to a strong start as one of the best teams in the NBA and that could keep Daryl Morey from blowing things up to get Rondo. The team will be a factor if he makes it to the free agent market, but one team could jump the gun and make a move at the deadline. Green is expected to be a major target as well, as he has played above expectations so far this year. Green is averaging a career high 19 points per game and he comes in after scoring 32 points in the win for the Celtics against the Pistons.
The Celtics are in rebuilding mode and they already have the PG of the future in Marcus Smart and that could give Danny Ainge the chance to make a move with Rondo this season.