The Sacramento Kings appear ready to make a big midseason trade before the February deadline. Two of the Kings' targets reportedly include Boston Celtics star Rajon Rondo and Detroit Pistons forward Josh Smith.
Sacramento, with $69 million guaranteed on the books this season, looks as if they're prepared to make a major move before the February trade deadline. Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders described the Kings' front office as aggressive and anticipates the team will make a splash this season with a blockbuster trade.
"(The Kings') front office has been extremely aggressive and it wouldn't surprise me at all to see them make a splashy move at some point between now and the deadline," Kennedy wrote Wednesday night. "I don't know what they have up their sleeve, but a big midseason trade is definitely possible, just (look at) their Rudy Gay midseason acquisition last year."
Rondo and Smith, former high school teammates at Oak Hill Academy, have been the two names consistently linked to Sacramento. With Rondo becoming an unrestricted free agent in July, he's unlikely to commit to re-signing with any team who trades for him. Rondo's purported desire to test the market makes moving him difficult for Celtics president Danny Ainge, but hardly impossible. Ainge is still expected to move Rondo midseason and fetch something in return for him, as opposed to letting the All-Star point guard walk for free in July.
Detroit was believed to want to deal Smith, but the team's stance might have changed with forward Greg Monroe unlikely to return next season. Trade talks between Sacramento and Boston reportedly happened earlier in the summer before stalling, but it's possible the talks reopen later in the season.
