NBA Trade Rumors: Breaking Down Buzz on Rajon Rondo, J.R. Smith
There is one storyline and one storyline only that will dominate the Boston Celtics’ 2014-15 season—the status of star point guard Rajon Rondo.
Assuming the Celtics don’t compete for a favorable playoff seed this year, it could make some sense to deal Rondo for young assets and rebuild with an eye toward the future. It is no wonder that there will be rumors circulating around the point guard this year.
Rondo isn’t the only player that is featured in early-season rumors.
J.R. Smith’s name has popped up in some trade whispers as well, which is interesting because Phil Jackson is clearly trying to rebuild in New York.
With that in mind, let’s break down the latest rumors.
Rajon Rondo
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, in a video link, discussed Rondo’s future in Boston: “Boston, from what I gather from them, they don’t seem to be in any big rush to trade Rondo right now”
The first way to look at this from Boston’s perspective is with a bit of skepticism. It is a very small sample size, but Rondo is playing incredible basketball in the 2014-15 season. If there were ever a time to “sell high,” it would be in the near future for the Celtics.
In fact, Rondo has been playing historically excellent basketball, as ESPN Stats & Info pointed out:
Here is a look at his overall numbers on the young season:
| Points | 8 |
| Assists | 11.7 |
| Rebounds | 8.7 |
| Field-Goal Percentage | 37.9 |
| Three-Point Percentage | 20 |
| Free-Throw Percentage | 16.7 |
| Minutes | 33.7 |
| Steals | 2 |
Boston is not going to contend for a title this season, and it is looking to build toward the future and stockpile young assets. Trading Rondo could help the Celtics land draft picks and young players to add to their future core of Jared Sullinger, James Young and Marcus Smart. Plus, trading Rondo would open up an opportunity for Smart to assume more responsibility at the point guard spot.
Boston used the No. 6 overall pick in the draft on Smart, and it would probably like to see what it has in the Oklahoma State product.
However, you can play devil’s advocate and point out that the market for Rondo in free agency may not be as overwhelming as some think. He is not a great perimeter scorer, has a serious injury history and will turn 29 this season. Point guard is arguably the deepest position in basketball, so the asking price for Rondo may be lower than anticipated.
Perhaps Boston could bring him back on something of a team-friendly deal and build around him with a couple younger pieces.
He is still one of the best facilitating point guards in the league, and it is often difficult to trade superstars at any level. It may be grasping at straws to discuss a situation where Boston keeps Rondo and builds with young pieces, but the Celtics are reportedly not interested in trading Rondo any time soon.
There has to be a reason.
J.R. Smith
Marc Berman of the New York Post noted that the New York Knicks were tied to the Indiana Pacers with a potential Smith for Chris Copeland trade:
"One of president Phil Jackson’s big decisions this season is whether to trade J.R. Smith, and the club had recent conversations with the Pacers regarding ex-Knick Chris Copeland, according to a league source. ...
According to a source, Jackson has no plans to make any deals until Dec. 15 — a key NBA date as 2014 free-agent signees and 2014 draft picks are eligible to be traded.
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Bob Kravitz of WTHR.com shot that notion down quickly, though:
Financially, Copeland is particularly valuable because his expiring contract will not cut into any 2015 cap space. Both the Pacers and Knicks are rebuilding, so having someone like that opens up some money to spend elsewhere.
Smith, on the other hand, could stay on his deal until 2016 and cost the Knicks (or whoever acquires him) much more money than Copeland would in the long run.
Copeland’s contract is simply a better one for two teams looking to rebuild.
However, you can make the argument when it comes to actual basketball that this trade would benefit the Pacers in the long run on the court.
Copeland plays the same small forward position as superstar Paul George, so there is always going to be a ceiling for how much he can contribute to a playoff-contending team. Sure, Copeland may deliver in the box score when George is out this year with injury, but what about when George comes back and is dominating the ball?
Smith could also potentially assume that Lance Stephenson role from a year ago that is now vacant.
Smith is a capable three-point shooter who could connect when defenders collapse on George’s penetration or Roy Hibbert on the low block. Smith can also create off the dribble, which would give the Pacers another option who can find his own shot outside of George.
That is something they really needed last year even with a fully healthy roster and Stephenson.
Smith is also even known for some of his on-court antics, as Jackson noted, via Berman:
""I don’t know if that’s possible or not," Jackson said when asked how to cure Smith’s off-the-court immature antics. 'He might be one of those guys that’s a little bit like Dennis Rodman, that has an outlier kind of side to him. But I’m going to get to know him as we go along, and we’ll find a way to either make him a very useful player in our organization, or whatever."
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This probably sounds a lot like Stephenson to Pacers fans.
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