Rajon Rondo Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Amick On Knicks, Lowry, Rondo

December 26th, 2013 at 10:10pm CST by Ryan Raroque

USA Today’s Sam Amick offered his New Year’s resolutions for a handful of teams who appear badly in need of help, touching base with issues currently encompassing the Knicks, Warriors, and Timberwolves. Aside from lamenting about the Eastern Conference’s shortage of winning records, Amick provides some fascinating tidbits on what’s been going on in New York, particularly with regard to their recent pursuit of Kyle Lowry and their reported interest in Rajon Rondo. Being that Amick’s discussion of Golden State and Minnesota is more-or-less tied to point differential and strength of schedule, we’ll focus on the Knicks-related topics from his piece, and you can find the highlights below:

New York would be wise to consolidate all their efforts and assets toward acquiring Rondo and not Lowry, especially if they’re willing to discuss trading their already limited supply of draft picks, suggests Amick.
According to a person with knowledge of the Raptors’ dealings, the Knicks had first raised the idea of sending a 2018 pick to Toronto during trade discussions for Lowry. Interestingly enough, it appears that GM Steve Mills was the one who ultimately vetoed this particular approach altogether, opting to remain patient for more worthwhile pursuits.
Regardless of how many times Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge insists that Rondo isn’t on the trading block, the belief from rival executives remains that the star point guard can be had for the right price. With two months and change left before the NBA’s trade deadline, it doesn’t look like the rumors of New York’s pursuit of Rondo will go away anytime soon, especially if Carmelo Anthony remains part of the Knicks’ plans. Even if Rondo becomes available, the Knicks face another hurdle of being one of many teams in line looking to make a pitch to the Celtics for his services.

Atlantic Notes: Woodson, Rondo, Brown

December 26th, 2013 at 7:44pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Since Knicks owner James Dolan gave Mike Woodson a public vote of confidence on November 20 (while the team sported a 3-8 record), New York has gone 6-11 over their last 17 games. Among those losses include a 41-point defeat to the Celtics at home, a 15-point loss to the Cavaliers two days later, and a one-point heartbreaker at the hands of the Wizards, in which the Knicks failed to call a timeout with ample time left to set up a final play. Ian Begley of ESPN New York writes that no one from the team’s ownership or front office has commented publicly on Woodson’s status over the last few days, although it appears that the players – especially outspoken center Tyson Chandler – still offer their support.

Here’s what we’ve heard out of the Atlantic Division tonight, including more from Begley’s piece:

Despite the Knicks struggles, Woodson is still confident that the team can and will win the Atlantic Division title: “Eventually, we’ll get healthy and we’ll see how it all plays out. The beauty about all of this that we’re going through is nobody’s running away with it in our division, and I’m pushing our team to win our division still…We won it last year, and I expect us to win it this year.”
Marc Berman of the New York Post thinks that the four-day break between New York’s upcoming home-and-home series against Toronto and their Texas triangle trip would be the window in which Dolan could make a coaching change if he ultimately decided to. Otherwise, the Knicks owner could wait until the offseason, where names such as Jeff Van Gundy or Lionel Hollins may become available.
Conditioning is deemed to be the biggest hurdle between Rajon Rondo and his return from rehab. Though Rondo was reportedly “huffing and puffing” after practice, the 27-year-old point guard participated extensively in drills today, as Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston details: “Rondo raced up and down the court during sprint-heavy drills, tried to take charges as teammates attacked in odd-man breaks, and even dunked off his left leg at one point. He seemed to be pushing himself hard as Boston engaged in its first practice after a three-day holiday break.”
A source confirms to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer that the 76ers have assigned Lorenzo Brown to their D-League affiliate, the 87ers. Earlier today, we noted that Bob Cooney of the Daily News was the first to relay notice of those plans. You can read the team’s official press release here.
RealGM’s Shams Charania writes about how Michael Carter-Williams‘ young stardom has reminded Philadelphia of the way Allen Iverson once carried the Sixers franchise. The 6’6 point guard also offered his thoughts about how outside talk of tanking helped motivate him to compete hard this year.
Tim Bontemps of the New York Post notes the Nets’ inability to respond when challenged with adversity this season, shifting focus on Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce‘s inability to instill the toughness and fortitude expected of them after being acquired from Boston this past summer.

Poll: Will Rajon Rondo Be Traded To The Knicks?

December 26th, 2013 at 3:32pm CST by Charlie Adams

Earlier today, Hoops Rumors revealed that the Knicks were interested in acquiring Rajon Rondo from the Celtics. Rondo isn’t a free agent until the end of the 2014/15 season, so the veteran guard would probably need to request a trade to New York in order for the Knicks’ alleged wish to come true.

Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com opines that there are a few problems with the Knicks’ thinking and suggests a theoretical blockbuster trade that would pair up Rondo with Carmelo Anthony in New York is highly unlikely. Forsberg notes that Celtics GM Danny Ainge wants to see how the current team fares with Rondo at the point when the injured guard makes his return, which is reportedly going to be some time in January or February. The little amount of space between then and the trade deadline won’t give Ainge enough time to determine the direction he wants to move with the team. If Ainge does decide he’s interested in trading Rondo, the Knicks probably wouldn’t be able to come up with as good of a package as other interested clubs could.

It might seem more realistic that Rondo would sign with the Knicks in free agency, but it’s worth observing that the Knicks have been in a similar situation before, successfully getting the player they wanted during the 2010/2011 season when they acquired Anthony from the Nuggets. Regardless of how flat the team is currently performing, there will inevitably be players who are intrigued by the notion of playing in New York City. Only time will tell if Rondo perceives the Knicks’ interest as real and decides he wants to request a trade.

Vote in the poll to let us know what you think!

Knicks Want To Trade For Rajon Rondo

December 26th, 2013 at 8:41am CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks management is confident it can attract the stars necessary to pull the team out of its malaise, and its first target will be Rajon Rondo, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The Knicks hope Rondo will become discontent with the Celtics and attempt to force them to trade him to New York sometime between now and 2015, when his contract ends. If they come up short on trading for Rondo, the Knicks think they’ll sign him in free agency or land one or two of the following potential 2015 free agents: LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol, Roy Hibbert, Kevin Love and Tony Parker.

The notion of Rondo joining the Knicks isn’t new, since the point guard’s high school coach claimed earlier this month that fellow former pupil Carmelo Anthony has been trying to recruit Rondo. Anthony pointed out that any such talk could constitute tampering, and both he and Rondo denied that they were discussing the idea of teaming up. It’s not clear how the Knicks could sell Rondo on the notion of pushing for a trade to New York, as Anthony did in 2011, without violating tampering rules. Still, much of the Knicks’ confidence in their future comes from the built-in lure of star-making capital New York, Windhorst writes.

Anthony could leave in free agency himself this summer, and there’s talk that the Knicks may attempt to trade him by the upcoming February 20th deadline if they don’t feel as though they can retain him. Windhorst seems to suggest there’s little chance of that happening, given how certain the Knicks seem about the road ahead. An executive from another team says the Knicks expect to re-sign Anthony and have another star player with him in a year’s time, adding that, “They’re so sure about it you’d think they already know what will happen.”

The same attitude explains why Mike Woodson is still coaching the team, according to Windhorst. The Knicks don’t feel there’s an adequate replacement available during the season, but plenty of intriguing candidates may exist in the summer, Windhorst writes. Having traded their potential lottery pick for 2014, the Knicks may be better off trying to make the playoffs this year with Woodson as coach, the ESPN scribe opines.

Pacers Rumors: Hill, Granger, Stephenson

December 24th, 2013 at 12:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Pacers are off until Saturday after last night’s blowout win over the Nets, but many of the team’s players take it as a slight that the NBA excluded them from the Christmas Day games, observes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. Indiana would certainly be a welcome addition to a holiday schedule that doesn’t look quite as star-studded as it did when the season began. Here’s more on the Pacers:

A rumored trade would send Danny Granger and George Hill to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo, but Hill’s agent, Michael Whitaker, tells Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star there isn’t much to the idea. Whitaker hasn’t spoken with any team about a trade involving Hill this season, he says. Hill isn’t paying much attention to the rumor either, Buckner observes.
Lance Stephenson last night reiterated his desire to re-sign with the Pacers to reporters, including Harvey Araton of The New York Times. “This is a great team — I’d love to stay,” Stephenson said.
Josh Newman of SNY.tv wonders if Stephenson could be an All-Star this season, and gauges the ability of the Pacers to re-sign the emerging talent.

Celtics Not Interested In Rajon Rondo Trade

December 18th, 2013 at 8:24pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics are making no movements toward a Rajon Rondo trade even as they look to acquire Omer Asik, and if the C’s deal Rondo, it’s not likely to happen until around draft time in June, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Rondo hasn’t requested a trade, nor has he suggested that he’d be open to one, Deveney adds.

Boston is waiting to see how Rondo performs when he returns from his torn ACL, and a source tells Deveney that it would take an “exceptional” offer to get the Celtics to budge from their position. Coach Brad Stevens has been making an effort to develop a relationship with Rondo and wants to have him on the team for a long time to come, Deveney writes.

Rondo has been in trade rumors ever since the deal that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets, but the point guard would like to take over as the on-court leader of the Celtics now that Pierce and Garnett are gone, Deveney writes. Rondo wants to demonstrate his value as a franchise player before his contract is up after next season.

Celtics Rumors: Asik, Rondo, Luxury Tax

December 18th, 2013 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics are viewed as one of the most likely suitors for Omer Asik, but even if they don’t land the Rockets center, the C’s figure to be active before this season’s trade deadline. The latest piece from Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald focuses on the team’s involvement in trade talks and rumors, so let’s round up the highlights from his piece….

Here’s what one rival GM had to say about the Celtics: “It looks like Danny [Ainge] doesn’t want anything to happen in the league until he gets a chance to see if he can find something in it for Boston. I think he’s got his fingers in a lot of pies.”
According to Ainge, while the Celtics would like to get involved in any deal that helps the franchise, there’s not a lot going on yet. “It’s December,” the GM notes.
Bulpett writes that the C’s have discussed Asik, but suggests that it’s unlikely they complete a deal directly with the Rockets, since Houston doesn’t seem to be interested in what Boston is offering. A three-team trade is a possibility.
While Ainge is willing to discuss Rajon Rondo, the point guard’s name hasn’t come up in discussions in any meaningful way, considering what the club would want in return. “Yeah, Danny will talk about Rondo if you bring his name up,” said one team executive. “You listen to everything, but when you find out the kinds of things they’d want in return for someone like Rondo, you wonder whether there’s really anything that could get something like that done.”
According to Bulpett, the Celtics are “very much interested” in a deal that would reduce team salary, giving the club more breathing room below the luxury tax threshold.

Celtics Rumors: Asik, Rondo, Wallace, Crawford

December 17th, 2013 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

The early returns on this morning’s Omer Asik poll suggest that Hoops Rumors readers believe Boston is the most likely landing spot for the Rockets center. If the Celtics to get involved in the eventual Asik deal, either as the club that acquires him or as a facilitator in a three-team trade, it’s worth keeping an eye on their salary situation, says ESPN.com’s Marc Stein. As Stein points out, Boston is barely below the luxury-tax threshold right now, which will factor into any move the team makes (Twitter links).

Here are a few more Tuesday morning updates on the C’s:

Multiple league sources tell A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com that even if the Celtics are open to moving Rajon Rondo, the club won’t receive any “legitimate” offers until the All-Star point guard returns to game action.
Unsurprisingly, the Celtics haven’t found much interest in Gerald Wallace, says Blakely.
According to Blakely, when engaging in trade talks, the C’s figure to target a player on his rookie contract whose potential is greater than his present value. The CSNNE scribe hears from a source that Austin Rivers is a name worth keeping in mind, despite the fact that his father is now coaching in Los Angeles rather than Boston.
Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio writes that Jordan Crawford is available, and notes that the Heat have been mentioned as a possible suitor. However, Miami isn’t the only potential destination for Crawford, according to Amico, who hears from an NBA exec that the Kings, Raptors, and Knicks could be in the mix as well.

Eastern Notes: Irving, Rondo, Augustin, Nets

December 14th, 2013 at 6:03pm CST by Zachary Links

WIll Kyrie Irving stay or go? It’s probably too early to say considering he’s still on his rookie deal with the Cavs, but this is a fanbase that has been burned before. If the yahoo who ran on to the court with a shirt imploring Kyrie not to leave is any indication, Cleveland fans will continue biting their nails until 2016. Scott Cacciola of the New York Times looked at the road ahead for the star guard and the attention that will be around his decision (with a lower case “d”) over the next few years. More from the Eastern Conference..

Celtics coach Brad Stevens says Rajon Rondo was cleared for contact practice today but he won’t play until the New Year, tweets Jeff Goodman of ESPNBoston.com. Rondo was all over Hoops Rumors earlier this month when it was reported that Carmelo Anthony was working to woo him to New York for the summer of 2015. Both players have denied that ever happening, however.
D.J. Augustin passed on NBA interest from elsewhere to sign on with the Bulls, writes Shams Charania of RealGM. “My agent and I both felt this would be the best opportunity,” Augustin said. “I just couldn’t pass it up.”
The win-now approach of the Nets and Knicks is more about seeing who can spend the most money than actually vying for a title, writes Tomas Rios of Sports On Earth.

Atlantic Links: Noel, Celtics, Vasquez

December 12th, 2013 at 10:34pm CST by Ryan Raroque

76ers prospect Nerlens Noel hasn’t let his knee rehab prevent him from working on other parts of his game, as Dei Lynam of CSN Philly reports that head coach Brett Brown has been tutoring the young big man on defensive principles in addition to working with him on his shooting form. As per Brown:

“I am thrilled [with] what he has done with his shot…We said from the very beginning that this is an opportunity and one that I hope he never has again…There is far more fluid to his shot and I think the carryover from this year will be significant if we can get it right for his future.”

Here are a few more minor notes to pass along out of the Atlantic Division:

In his latest Celtics mailbag, Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston answers questions about Jordan Crawford‘s emergence, what happens to the rotation once Rajon Rondo is cleared to play, and which players have improved their trade value since the start of the season.
According to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is taking a cautious approach with the team’s Atlantic Division-leading 10-14 start to the season (Subscribers only).
Eric Koreen of the National Post writes about how Greivis Vasquez‘s affinity for playing for playing pick-and-roll basketball on a Raptors team that welcomes plenty of those opportunities will be an important development as the team looks to move on from Kyle Lowry.
Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops explores the Knicks and Nets’ proposed deals with Toronto for Lowry and discusses whether or not they make sense.