NBA Trade Rumors and News 2014: Dallas Mavericks Acquires Rajon Rondo in Deal with Boston Celtics
The Dallas Mavericks acquired All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo in a trade with the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.
The Mavericks, who have been looking to shore up their point guard rotation, got Rondo, along with Dwight Powell, in exchange for a conditional 2015 first-round pick, 2016 second-round pick, Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder and Jameer Nelson. Boston also received a $12.9 million trade exception in the deal.
The 28-year-old point guard will become a free agent after the 2014-15 NBA season, but reports confirm that Rondo is willing to sign a long-term deal with the Mavericks next summer.
Rondo was mentioned in numerous trade rumors since last year, but the Celtics were determined to keep him until the end of the season. With their rough start this season, however, the Celtics reportedly started talking to teams on Wednesday, knowing that Rondo could leave them via free agency in the offseason.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the Celtics also had discussions with teams like the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Sacramento Kings and Houston Rockets.
The Lakers reportedly made a strong push to acquire Rondo, but the Celtics turned down an offer involving injured point guard Steve Nash and a future first-round pick.
The Rockets were also in serious discussion with the Celtics on Thursday, but they eventually pulled out of the negotiation due to lack of attractive assets, reports indicated.
Trading Rondo, one of their franchise cornerstone over the past several years, signals the start of a long rebuilding of the Celtics, while the Mavericks improved their chances of winning a title this season.
Rondo, who is averaging 8.3 points to go along with 10.8 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game this season, will join Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons, Monta Ellis and Tyson Chandler in Dallas' starting unit.
"It's not every day that you can get a point guard of his status, and the way he can pass the ball, he's a difference-maker," Parsons said of Rondo via ESPN. "To be able to have that, with the combination of what we already have with our system and the players put around him, it's special. It's definitely exciting."
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