The Rajon Rondo trade rumors are starting to heat up once again and while teams like the Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets appear to fit best, the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings have shown interest in the Boston Celtics point guard and names like Isaiah Thomas, Ben McLemore, Eric Bledsoe and Kyle Lowry could be moved along with two first round picks.
The Boston Celtics and general manager Danny Ainge have been adamant that they are not looking to trade Rondo, but according to a Bulls.com report, if they did decide to do it, it would cost a team at least two first round picks and Ainge wants them unprotected. ESPN.com and other websites have reported on interest in Rondo and the Celtics will not just give him up without fair compensation and that is where the two first round picks come in.
The Celtics are clearly in rebuilding mode and while they love what they have in Rondo, they could be willing to part with him to get picks in this draft. The 2014 draft is looking like one of the deepest in recent memory and that has some teams afraid to give up first round picks leading into it, especially with the top five players looking like they will be legitimate NBA stars, including names like Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins and Julius Randle.
The fact that the Celtics want two first round picks in any deal for Rondo makes things tough and that also limits any potential trade partners to teams with assets like that. While some of the teams mentioned could make a package for the Celtics, by far the best prepared team is the Phoenix Suns and this might be the perfect time to pull the trigger.
The Suns have been playing very well this season and they remain in seventh place in the west as the second half begins and this is much better than anyone expected the team to play. The Suns were looked at as a rebuilding project and while GM Ryan McDonough is continuing to do that, the team has a real shot at the playoffs and look like a team willing to buy at the deadline. The Houston Rockets looked like a fit for Rondo, but they aren't going to make a deal, while the Suns have been looking into the Lakers with Pau Gasol, as they want to add at least one veteran at the deadline.
Adding into the mix is the fact that the Suns could potentially have four first round picks coming up in the draft depending on where certain teams finish the season and that gives them the flexibility to make a move. Giving up two first round picks would be hard to swallow, but with two in their pocket after that and a very young team, that could be a move worth making. Rondo would automatically upgrade the team into one of the middle teams in the west and while they would not be better than the Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, La Clippers or Oklahoma City Thunder, bringing on a player of that caliber could at least catch them up.
Rondo likely will not be moving ay the deadline, but one thing is for sure: there will be rumors.
