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.
Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars denied offering Brandon Knight to the Boston Celtics for Rajon Rondo.
He also said he hasn’t even mentioned Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings with Bucks general manager John Hammond, a former assistant GM with the Pistons under Dumars.
“Never happened, never even a conversation about Brandon,” Dumars said of the Boston Globe report over the weekend. “And today I saw something about Brandon Jennings.
“John Hammond and I were on the phone talking about our dogs.”
When pressed to say more about how Rondo would fit with the Pistons, Dumars added: “At this point, I really can’t start talking about somebody else’s player. That trade rumor is not true.”
The Pistons did ask about the availability of Rondo, but it never reached the stage of potential players who would be involved in such a move.
The Celtics are keeping the standout point guard for now. Expect his name to stay out front in trade rumors and many expect him to be moved by February’s trade deadline.
The Brandon Knight and expiring contract offer for Rajon Rondo (first surfaced on Sunday) is laughable.
Who is Brandon Knight, anyways?
Aside from being the guy with balls to challenge a DeAndre Jordan dunk, Knight is a 6-3 combo guard out of Kentucky.
He can shoot the deep ball (37% FG) but is awful from just about everywhere else (35% FG from 10-23 feet).
According to the ESPN Insider scouting report, he’s a long-armed defender who rebounds well for his size. He’s not near the level of Avery Bradley but has potential to be a solid defender.
That’s it.
I just don’t see how Knight is enough to headline a trade package for Rondo.
The Celtics are not desperate for the expiring contract. As John detailed yesterday they have a $10 million trade exception and $17 million (Humphries and Bogans) coming off the books next year.
There’s only one guy I would consider taking back from Detroit and that’s 7-footer Andre Drummond. And according to most reports out of Detroit, Drummond is untouchable.
A package of Greg Monroe, Knight and an expiring contract would get the deal done, provided Ainge is okay with Monroe’s defensive deficiencies.
I’m still in the “Keep Rondo” camp.
I know the guy has his faults, but this team becomes a rudderless ship without him on the floor.
In case you missed it late yesterday afternoon, Paul Pierce thanked Celtics fans with a series of Instagram photos from his time in Boston.
The rest of the links:
ESPN Boston – Stevens already on fast break | Herald – Stevens set for C’s experience | CSNNE – Ainge: We let go at right time | Pierce says goodbye with photos | Austin Rivers gives take on Doc’s departure |
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