The Boston Celtics are "aggressively shopping" point guard Rajon Rondo, according to a report from ESPN's Chris Broussard. The feeling in Boston is that the team does not want to rebuild around Rondo because of his personality and repeated clashes with head coach Doc Rivers.
Introducing the SB Nation YouTube Channel | Subscribe Now | Follow @SBNStudios
Boston has already discussed a swap with the Golden State Warriors built around Rondo and point guard Stephen Curry, which the Warriors reportedly balked at. Broussard says that the Celtics front office continues to discuss the trade, although Curry's string of ankle injuries have caused it some hesitation.
Danny Ainge, the President of Basketball Operations for the Celtics, has repeatedly stated his belief that he will always consider moves to improve his team, but denied trying to trade Rondo during the offseason, when speculation swirled he was making a push to acquire then-Hornets guard Chris Paul.
Despite his reasonable contract (three years, $36 million remaining after this year) and successful tenure in Boston, there is hesitation about building around Rondo because of his attitude and style of play. His shooting struggles have long been a topic of conversation in Boston, and many in the area believe he is best suited when flanked by shooters and scorers around him, rather than being the primary offensive weapon on a team.
The Celtics currently stand at 17-17, and seventh overall in the Eastern Conference standings. Some in NBA circles anticipate that Ainge will attempt to trade off many of his veteran assets before the March 15 deadline, including any of the Celtics "Big Three" of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, in an effort to build towards the future.
For more Celtics Trade Rumors, visit our trade stream and blog, CelticsBlog.