Sound the alarms: the Mavs won the Rondo sweepstakes. And boy, did they ever.
After what seemed like an era of rumors that spanned almost as long as Rondo’s career, the master facilitator is no longer in Celtic green.
Below is a quick sum-up from the Celtics blog on NBA.com:
The Celtics’ stable of draft picks became even more crowded Thursday night, as they pulled off a major trade with Dallas that netted them another first-round pick as well as a second-round selection. In addition to those picks, Boston also acquired emerging big man Brandan Wright, veteran point guard Jameer Nelson and forward Jae Crowder.
In exchange for that package, the Celtics parted ways with point guard Rajon Rondo and rookie forward Dwight Powell.
Because of Boston’s current state of affairs, those draft picks top the list for why Danny Ainge pulled off the consequential trade. Or, so one would think.
The C’s are awash in picks as they now own the following:
- Nine first-round picks (over next four NBA Drafts)
- Potentially 10 second-rounders over that same time
So they’re not wanting for future assets.
Wright and Crowder are capable young recruits who will help shore up Boston’s defense but also don’t categorize as understandable trade-offs for giving an All-Star. No, in effect, this wasn’t about Boston pulling off a red-hot deal or playing Minnesota hardball. After striking out on Kevin Love, and every other big name on the market, the Celtics found themselves between the rock and a hard place — a rock that a ball-heavy guard like Rondo wasn’t finding the bottom of the net with.
Hoping to up Rondo’s trade value during a contract year, Ainge was instead presented with an ugly year of subpar play (where Rondo is concerned). For the second time in his career, Rondo has failed to average double-digit points. He’s shooting atrociously from the stripe and worse from deep — and a PER of 15.2 isn’t cutting it either.
That’s not to say that the Mavs are walking away with deadweight. Quite the opposite. Though high-risk, they could have just pulled off the move of the year if Dallas can find a way to make up for lost rim protection (Wright), less depth (Nelson and Crowder), and a Monta-Rondo pairing.
Where Dallas should be celebrated, Boston should at least be slapped on the wrist for pulling off a move that might have been their best option, and not wholly a terrible one, but that speaks to their decision to pursue faulty moves anticipatory to it.
Still, in the end, it is the Knicks who ultimately lost this trade.
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