Boston Celtics Trade Rumors: Deal for Josh Smith Unlikely to Happen

Josh Smith would be a great fit for the Boston Celtics. He can score, rebound and, best of all, defend.

But as much as the Celtics would like to add him before the March 15 trade deadline, it's not likely that he'll land in Boston.

Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated tweeted on Friday:

"

Rival execs say Atlanta will move Josh Smith but not simply for an expiring contract, like Kevin Garnett,

— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixSI) March 2, 2012"

As Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports explained on Friday, Smith has wanted a trade for the past year, and the Atlanta Hawks are willing to trade him, but they aren't going to trade him for an expiring contract like Garnett or Ray Allen.

According to Wojnarowski, the Celtics and Hawks did talk about Garnett and Allen, but they were "purely exploratory conversations."

If the Celtics were to land Smith, they would likely have to include Rajon Rondo in a deal.

Rondo has found his name in numerous trade rumors recently, but the Celtics organization, including president Danny Ainge and head coach Doc Rivers, has denied it's interested in trading him. He's the Celtics' best player, but he's clashed with Rivers on numerous occasions.

Smith is one of my favorite players in the NBA, given his all-around game, and he fits the defensive-minded Celtics perfectly, but I don't ultimately see Boston trading Rondo for Smith. Rondo is just too dynamic a talent at a vital position.

Of course, if Rondo and Rivers can't work out their differences, there's a chance the Celtics ship the three-time All-Star out of town just to get rid of a headache, but that would open up a gaping hole at point guard.

Smith would instantly become a fan favorite in Boston, and it's hard to imagine him clashing with Rivers, but a deal just doesn't seem likely. Sometimes, you have to face reality.

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