Just when it looked like the Rajon Rondo trade rumors were slowing down, the New York Knicks find a way to bring them back up again. The team has not been shy about expressing their interest for the Boston Celtics point guard. Danny Ainge continues to stress that Rondo is not for sell and will never be for sell. The Celtics intend to build around the All-Star. So of course, the Knicks will force a deal to get done.
ESPN's Brian Windhorst is reporting that the Knicks will force Rondo to request a trade before the point guard hits free agency in 2015. The first goal for New York is to convince Carmelo Anthony to re-sign with the team in the upcoming offseason. They will use the forward to attract Rondo in hopes that the Celtics' star will force the team to trade him. They are hoping for a similar maneuver to what Anthony did with the Denver Broncos back in 2011.
Windhorst stresses that Rondo is currently not available. Anthony has denied the notion that he has been recruiting the point guard to join up with the Celtics. However, New York has been linked to Rondo since July and the rumors are not dying down. Anthony wanted a trade to happen in the summer and the Knicks got Andrea Bargnani instead. New York attempted to put together a complicated Iman Shumpert, Amar' Stoudemire trade that went no where.
The Knicks are going to be tight on cap space, so a trade is the only way to make this happen. Rondo has yet to return to the court following a torn ACL suffered last season. He is hoping to be back by the All-Star break. If Rondo meshes well with the current Boston lineup, he might not want out. The Knicks are going to be rebuilding with limited options while Boston can rebuild with the millions of first-round draft picks they have over the next few years.
If a trade for Rondo fails, the Knicks certainly have their sights set on other players. By 2015, New York is certain they can land either Kevin Love, LeMarcus Aldridge or Tony Parker. Everything pretty much hinges on whether or not Anthony decides to re-sign with the team, which is another issue in its self.
