Trading Rajon Rondo and the 10 Craziest NBA Rumors of the Season

The NBA is a hotbed for a number of different things, including rumors.  

Rumors swirl around the Association all season long, and while some make sense and even hold merit, others are so absurd they make you question, and even despise, the use of "anonymous sources."

With it becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish legitimate from illogical, we have become subject to a growing number of crazy, borderline ridiculous rumors.

And this season has proved no different.

Monta Ellis to Orlando Magic

Were we actually supposed to buy into the Monta Ellis to the Magic talks?

Orlando was blatantly scrambling to do everything they could to appease Dwight Howard, so of course negotiations took place, but it was never going to happen.

The Magic had absolutely nothing of expendable value to offer the Warriors or another team interested in facilitating a three-team deal to make this rumor a reality.

Ellis, at the time, was easily Golden State's best player. For the Magic, or anyone else, to believe that he could be pried away in exchange for mediocre package is absolutely absurd. 

Carmelo Anthony Requests Trade from New York Knicks

Criticize Carmelo Anthony all you want, but he's not foolish enough to request a trade from the Knicks, especially after just one year.

When the going got especially tough in New York, reports surfaced just before the trade deadline that Anthony had requested a trade from the Knicks. While it's feasible to believe he was at odds with then head coach Mike D'Antoni, it's implausible that Carmelo would allow his image to take that kind of hit.

Anthony has been scrutinized since day one, considered a one-dimensional player incapable of leading a team to a championship. But until he journeyed to New York, he could chalk such observations up to a lack of a supporting cast and less than favorable circumstances.

That's why he would never have requested a trade this past March. Doing so would have been committing NBA suicide, and to believe he threw that genre of caution to the wind is shortsighted. 

NBA Rigging Draft Lottery for New Orleans Hornets

After the Hornets jumped both the Bobcats and Wizards to secure the first overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft, conspiracy theories immediately started popping up.

The Association, for now, owns the New Orleans franchise, and with plenty of bad blood remaining from the David Stern's handling of the Chris Paul fiasco, it was left open to widespread criticism.

Should we honestly believe that the NBA would be willing to risk all of its credibility to obtain a player who they won't be directly involved with?

No.

As Stern said to Jim Rome with regards to the rumor, it's "good copy and sometimes you do things for cheap thrills."

Love him or hate him, the commissioner has a point.

Dwight Howard to Golden State Warriors

Remember how difficult it was for owner Joe Lacob to justify a trade of Monta Ellis that brought an adequate amount of talent—under contract no less—to Golden State in return?

Imagine how difficult it would have been for him to justify trading Ellis—or Stephen Curry for that matter—to Orlando in an exchange for a rental of Dwight Howard.

Kind of puts the Andrew Bogut package in perspective, doesn't it? 

Howard is certainly a polarizing figure, but there was no way he would have ever signed an extension with the Warriors. 

Chris Andersen and Child Pornography

Chris Andersen hardly ever saw meaningful action for the Nuggets this past season, but "The Birdman" reached new levels of infamy after a scandal that left many scratching their heads.

It was originally reported that Andersen had his house searched by a unit of the Denver police that specifically deals with child pornography.

As speculation heated up regarding the ever-eccentric Andersen, it was then reported that the seldom-used center was actually the victim of an extortion case.

Crazy, huh?

Derrick Rose Asks Chicago Bulls to Trade for Pau Gasol

Back in February, Derrick Rose reportedly gave the Bulls his blessing to pursue Lakers forward Pau Gasol, using a package built around Carlos Boozer as bait.

Talk about creating an unnecessary elephant in the Chicago locker room.

Had Los Angeles even been truly serious about dealing Gasol, was it reasonable for Rose to embrace the pursuit of him while dropping specific names? He had to know that Boozer wouldn't be enough to land the big man, essentially creating holes in whatever relationship they had for no reason.

This cycle of crazy was only perpetuated by Gasol reportedly reciprocating a desire to eventually wind up in Chicago alongside Rose. 

You simply cannot make this stuff up.

Or can you?

Jeremy Lin Not a Lock to Re-Sign with New York Knicks

Jeremy Lin has not yet signed a new contract with the Knicks, but he will, regardless of the outcome of the early bird rights hearing.

Back in May, Lin's agent implied that negotiations with New York may not go as smoothly as everyone predicts, and to call that outlook merely posturing is an understatement.

The Knicks have the ability to match any offer sheet that may come Lin's way, no matter what. Even if they don't believe he is the second coming of Rajon Rondo or Chris Paul, refusing to match another offer is not an option.

Lin is a global icon, and potential ceiling aside, he is a surefire moneymaker.

And a team with one of the most money-hungry owners in the NBA is not about to make a decision that deprives the organization of the type of profits retaining Lin will generate. 

Dwight Howard Requests Trade to Los Angeles Clippers

Dwight Howard was certainly a reliable source of crazy this season.

As Howard continued to toil with the idea of forcing a trade out of Orlando, he reportedly added the Clippers to his list of preferred destinations, intrigued at the idea of playing alongside Blake Griffin and Chris Paul.

Let's sidestep the obvious bout with hypocrisy here, as Howard became disconcerted at the idea of playing second or third fiddle to Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, yet seemingly embraced the idea of joining polarizing figures like Griffin and Paul.

What's truly insane about this one is the fact that this rumor even surfaced in the first place.

How is it the Clippers could find a way to trade for Howard without giving up Griffin? Aside from him and Paul, Los Angeles isn't exactly laden with Howard-worthy assets.

Such a rumor was simply wishful thinking gone awry, and nothing else.

Boston Celtics Aggressively Trying to Trade Rajon Rondo

Remember when the Celtics were rumored to be aggressively shopping Rajon Rondo, the player who ultimately led them to a near-upset of the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals?

The Rondo rumors were speculation we could accept when Chris Paul was at stake, but nearing the trade deadline, there was no one target Boston was chasing in return.

That's right, a perpetual triple-double machine and evolving leader was supposedly being shopped, almost without purpose.

Subsequently, the Rondo rumor-mill was either illegitimate sources at their best or Danny Ainge and the Celtics at their worst.

You decide.

James Harden to Charlotte Bobcats

Speaking of crazy, we were force-fed a boatload of insanity prior to tip-off for Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

On Thursday, Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports reported that the Thunder were considering shipping off James Harden to the Bobcats in exchange for the second overall pick in this year's draft.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for GM Sam Presti, but for Oklahoma City to deal the Sixth Man of the Year for, what is right now, an intangibly unproven talent, is bonkers.

The Thunder may be approaching a crossroads, as both Harden and Serge Ibaka are free agents next summer, but to consider such a deal during the NBA Finals, which the Thunder are playing in, is bad practice.

Harden is a superstar, and next summer he is going to get paid like a superstar, but if Oklahoma City really wants to move on, there is definitely a better deal out there.

One that most certainly wouldn't have caused a distraction during the finals.

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