Rajon Rondo has been linked to numerous teams since he was rumored to be on the trade block. The Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings, though, are the two teams that are expected to make a hard push at the Boston Celtics star point guard when the February trade deadline draws near according to Grantland's Zach Lowe:
If Boston wants a big haul, it has to hope a potential Rondo suitor feels some unexpected desperation early in the season. Houston is under pressure to win now, and if it starts slowly, Daryl Morey might swallow hard and meet Boston in the middle. Rondo and James Harden make for an awkward fit, but talent tends to work itself out, and the Rockets are confident they can re-sign stars once they get them.
Sacramento has outsize expectations after Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins won gold with Team USA, and any owner with outsize expectations is an explosive wild card. The Kings have three point guards, including two free agents they signed this summer, but they will soon realize their team just isn't very good.
Teams who are interested in the services of Rondo, however, should be ready to come up with one heck of a trade package. The Celtics asking price for the 28 year old guard is "Sky High" according to Lowe although his trade value should diminish once the trade deadline draws near giving the Rockets and Kings a window to make a run for Rondo.
But Rondo has indicated back in August that he doesn't want to be traded to Sacramento and will not resign with the team the moment the Celtics trade him there. But if the Kings start playing like a playoff contender with a motivated Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins, Rondo might just change his mind.
Rondo could be an ideal fit for the Rockets who is quite thin in the point guard position after trading Jeremy Lin this offseason. A line-up that features Rondo, James Harden, and Dwight Howard will surely shake the hierarchy in the West and could carry the Rockets to the top.
Join the Conversation