The Boston Celtics reportedly have agreed to trade Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks. The five-player deal includes Rondo, Brandan Wright, Jameer Nelson and several draft picks, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.
Trade rumors heated up Wednesday and Thursday, with Rondo's name being linked to a number of teams - the Houston Rockets, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Sacramento Kings, the New York Knicks and Dallas, to name a few. By Thursday night, a deal was reportedly in place.
Per Wojnarowski:
"The Boston Celtics traded former All-Star guard Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night, league sources told Yahoo Sports. .... Dallas will send forward Brandan Wright, guards Jameer Nelson and Jae Crowder, a 2015 first-round pick and a 2016 second-round pick to Boston for Rondo and rookie forward Dwight Powell. There are lottery protections on the 2015 first-round pick headed to Boston, sources said."
ESPN's Marc Stein also reported the trade on Thursday, although he didn't have Powell included in the deal. He also reported the deal would likely be completed by the end of Thursday night, quoting a source as saying a "deal is on course to happen tonight."
Rondo is in the final year of his contract. Earlier Thursday, he reportedly indicated he would be willing to re-sign with Dallas or Houston if he were traded to either team.
Trading Rondo indicates the Celtics are now ready to do a complete rebuild. Boston will now have three first-round picks in the 2015 NBA draft, helping to expedite the process behind rookie guard Marcus Smart and second-year forward Kelly Olynyk.
