Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
The Pistons are quite interested in Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, but they don’t have a package to offer that would attract president of basketball operations Danny Ainge to making a deal. The Celtics would presumably ask for emerging center Andre Drummond, who is as close to untouchable as a younger player can get. Detroit would like to send the Celtics Brandon Knight and an expiring contract, but that wouldn’t be nearly enough. Detroit doesn’t have a first-round pick to offer because of the Ben Gordon deal that gave the Bobcats the choice of a Pistons draft pick over the next four seasons . . .
Boston Globe Sunday Notes – After a long dry spell, Detroit Pistons make major strides toward relevance in NBA
Ever since draft night when the Celtics management decided to bring out the dynamite to the P/KG Era, there have been rumblings, rumors and outright requests for them to go all the way and send Rondo packing as well. Some just want him gone for five cents on the dollar while others are holding on until they get at least fair value in return. Danny Ainge is apparently not willing to trade him unless he gets exactly what he wants: and that’s usually been the other teams’ best player, first round picks and/or contracts to clear money off the books.
Ainge realizes that Rondo’s trade value is probably at the lowest it’s ever been. He’s yet to play after tearing his ACL, he had a sub-par year for him last year and just about everybody thinks his attitude is so bad that it’s only a matter of time before he forces his new head coach to flee back to Indiana. So if you want to trade him to completely blow it up that’s fine, but take a long hard look at every roster in the NBA and their current status in the league and ask yourself A) what the C’s could truly get for him and B) if you’d be happy with that deal. Not as easy as it looks, is it?
So when the Dallas Mavericks, a mediocre team at best right now, call and ask for Rondo, Ainge asks for Dirk (and probably a lot more). When Joe Dumars calls and offers Brandon Knight and an expiring contract, Ainge chuckles, says “how about we START the talks with Andre Drummond and from there see what else we can add on your end?” well that’s what you want from your GM.
In the case above with Detroit, you can see why it’s highly unlikely any deal with the Pistons will get done. They have no first round picks to give (as noted by Gary Washburn above) and would refuse any deal involving Drummond. My guess is that Dumars wouldn’t want to give up Greg Monroe either, and to me (and likely Ainge as well), Monroe and an expiring for Rondo wouldn’t be enough. Monroe is a very solid player, but if you already have Jared Sullinger and now Kelly Olynyk (both on rookie deals well under your control, both could be very effective PFs) then now you have to make another deal to fill a huge hole at PG.
Unless Ainge gets blown away this summer by the right deal, the best bet is to let Rondo take his time to return from his ACL injury (sit out the first two months if needs be), let him return and work his way back slowly to either up his trade value or simply hang onto him for the long haul. Be ready though because I’m sure you’ll likely see plenty of Rondo rumors throughout the year.
The rest of the links:
Globe – Brian Scalabrine trying to master a new ground: NBA assistant coach | Boston Herald – For C’s, ‘L’ is for learning | Dogged support | ESPN Boston – Big things from the Big O
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