The Boston Celtics may look at a Jeff Green trade at the deadline this season and some other names that could be traded include Evan Turner, Brandon Bass, Gerald Wallace and Rajon Rondo, as Danny Ainge and the team are still in rebuilding mode and if they look to sell, teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, LA Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers could be interested.
The Celtics will get calls about Rajon Rondo this season as well and while he will be the top target for other teams, Boston also has names like Turner, Brandon Bass, Gerald Wallace and Green that should also get attention. Ainge has said repeatedly that he is not trading Rondo, but many league executives think that Ainge will change his mind, as it would be killer to lose the point guard for nothing as a free agent. Green is expected to have suitors as well, as he has a player option heading into next season.
According to Pro Basketball Talk, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com spoke with numerous league executives and while they agree that the money will not be the same, they say that Green should expect to be as targeted as Rondo if/when he hits the market. Green is having a career season and is averaging close to 20 points per game, putting up 19.7 points as a career high along with 4.5 rebounds per game. Green has started every game he has played over the last two seasons and he also shooting a career best 45 percent from the floor.
Those types of numbers should get Green some attention on the market and playoff contenders may take notice. The Celtics know that they are building long term and moving Rondo or Green for draft picks or money relief is a likely option. The Boston Globe reported earlier in the summer that the Celtics may target Marc Gasol next summer and clearing some cap space would help in that regard, with names like Wallace and Bass likely to move. Even if Rondo is not traded, many expect him to entertain offers and teams like the Rockets and Lakers should be interested in him next summer.
The Celtics know that Rondo will be a coveted target on the free agent market and while they can give him a max deal, the Lakers, Knicks and Kings all could chase him hard. The Knicks and Lakers will have money to spend and they are motivated to try and turn things around after how bad they have been this year. The Houston Rockets are also expected to be a team in the mix for Rondo, as they have been interested in him for a number of years. The teams that miss out on Rondo may also go after Goran Dragic as an option at point guard if he opts to leave the Suns.
The Celtics love Rondo, but with him getting so much attention on the trade market, it could be time to make a move to keep building for the future. The team also drafted Marcus Smart and he could take over at point guard.