NBA Rumors: Rajon Rondo Trade Would Further Tear Boston Celtics Apart

Remember when the Boston Celtics brought forth images of unrelenting defense and gritty play? Well hold onto that thought because we may never see it again. 

The Boston Celtics are shopping Rajon Rondo. Now let me state that I can see him going for one player, and one player only. After that, the Celtics would be destroying the eastern power that has wreaked havoc for a few years now. 

ESPN's Chris Broussard states the Celtics are looking to shop star point guard Rajon Rondo. In his break down of all things Chris Paul, he writes: 

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While Boston is not shopping Rajon Rondo, it would be open to trading him in the right deal, sources say. The Celtics feel they need more scoring to take the load off Paul Pierce.

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You then have to consider the Celtics are really looking at just two players in return of their best young player, Dwight Howard and Chris Paul. 

Anything else would be taking a step back in a far too unnecessary way. Let's talk about Dwight Howard first. The team is obviously looking about getting bigger and more defensive down low. 

This team could sure use a banger down low that could contender with the...wait. Oh, right. They had a big man that was a defensive presence and could hold his own offensively with great footwork and hands in Kendrick Perkins. 

Yet, they traded him. I just don't see going back to a player that while better than Perkins, is in the same vain in Dwight Howard, a defensive player that can block and rebound a plenty. 

That really just leaves Chris Paul for me. Paul is no doubt a ridiculous get for the Celtics. But how much are you getting over Rondo. 

Rondo may not be a scoring machine, but he has proved capable of making up for it in a myriad of other ways. 

The big thing that scares me is that Rondo has taken great strides to become this team's leader. As Paul and Garnett age, Rondo has stepped forward as the heir apparent. 

Trading him not only means this team will have to completely shift gears, they will need to change their identity and future. I just don't see that as necessary.