The NBA trade deadline came and went without a huge blockbuster deal, but that didn't stop Rajon Rondo's name from coming up in a number of potential moves and now teams like the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, NY Knicks and other franchises can position themselves for a summer trade, while Carmelo Anthony could ask for Rondo or Jeff Teague this summer.
Rondo made it clear that he wanted to stay in Boston and the Celtics repeatedly said they were not shopping him, but at the deadline reports of interest from the Raptors, Kings and Houston Rockets made headlines. According to ESPN writer Marc Stein, the Rockets had and have "absolute interest" in trading for Rondo, even if it wasn't at the deadline and they could pick things back up when the season is over.
According to ESPN.com, the Knicks were linked to Rondo also at the deadline and while that deal never got moving, the team could try and pull it off in the summer. Stein also reported that the Knicks looked into a possible deal for Jeff Teague, Kyle Lowry and with the Clippers for Darren Collison, but the franchise decided to stand pat at the deadline. The Knicks are worried that Anthony will leave in the offseason and they feel that adding a point guard like Rondo will get him to stay.
The Chicago Bulls and Clippers are considered options for Anthony and Rondo could come into play if the team is willing to basically give up their future, as the Celtics want draft picks. According to USA Today, the Celtics will not give up Rondo for anything less than first round picks and that is one reason why the deal did not go down this season. The draft in 2014 is considered to be one of the deepest in recent years and that has teams holding their first round picks like hostages and now that could come into play later in the summer as the Knicks and Anthony figure out their plans.
Danny Ainge is looking to rebuild the Celtics and that is why he wants draft picks and even if the Knicks were willing to trade Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr. at the deadline, that wouldn't have been enough for the Celtics. The team shopped that to the Clippers and the other major team that was interested in Rondo was the Rockets, as Stein reported that they had real interest, but Daryl Morey did not want to give up multiple picks or Chandler Parsons in any deal.
The Rockets would love to get Rondo and with Jeremy Lin's contract expiring after next season, he could become trade bait despite the high price tag and putting Rondo on the floor with Dwight Howard could make the team the best in the west. James Harden has developed into a major star and Howard has shown that he can be a star in the middle without taking away much from other players and heading into the summer it likely will be the same as the deadline was for Rondo: lots of talk, probably not a ton of action.
