NBA Trade Rumors: Indiana Pacers Would Be Smart To Trade for Rajon Rondo

Coming out of the NBA Lockout, teams are  almost able to make moves to improve their rosters for the 2011 season.

A team like the Indiana Pacers must make a bold move. That is why a trade for Boston Celtics All-Star Rajon Rondo is a move they have to make.

According to Yahoo! Sports, a deal has been talked about for quite some time. 

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For the past few days, Pacers officials – and third-party surrogates – have been making calls and gathering information and insight into Rondo’s reputation as a teammate and leader, sources said.

The Pacers and Celtics have discussed the preliminary framework of a deal, but two sources said Indiana would need a third team to provide Boston with the talent it wants to do a deal. 

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Who that third team is could be the New Orleans Hornets, with point guard Chris Paul on the move to Boston. 

As Yahoo! went on to report:

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The Celtics are likely trying to gather the necessary pieces to make a bid for Ainge’s ultimate target: New Orleans point guard Chris Paul sources said.

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A move like this would revitalize a great basketball city in Indianapolis.

The Pacers already have an good player in forward Danny Granger. However, what has held Granger back from becoming that elite level player is having a playmaker like Rondo. 

The Pacers did make a move on draft night when they acquired San Antonio Spurs point guard George Hill. If the Pacers would make a move for Rondo it would give the Pacers a deadly one-two guard combination. 

Adding Rondo would cost the Pacers a heavy price.

They would probably have to give up a first-round draft pick in either the 2012 or 2013 NBA Draft. Plus sending away a player like point guard Darren Collison, center Roy Hibbert or shoot guard/small forward Paul George. 

This young Pacers team captivated this city last spring when they made a run for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. Even with their five-game defeat to the Chicago Bulls in the first round, Pacers fans were excited for the next season.

If they can add Rondo, it will push this fan base to a level it hasn’t seen since the days of Reggie Miller. 

The time is now for the Pacers' front office to make a big splash after the lockout. A move for Rondo would be that move that ignites a fan base on fire. 

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