Boston Celtics Rumors: Celtics Convinced Chris Paul Going to LA, Pull out

One of the more interesting rumors of the current Chris Paul saga involved the Boston Celtics' pursuit of the four-time All-Star point guard.

GM Danny Ainge floated Rajon Rondo, Jeff Green and a pair of first-round picks the Hornets' way, but New Orleans didn't bite.

It now looks that Ainge is convinced that Paul will ultimately end up in Los Angeles and has officially pulled out of the running.

Truth be told, they were never really in it, despite an initial offer that exceeded what he was originally traded for before David Stern nixed the deal.

The Celtics will be fine without Paul. They still have their "Big Three," and should have no problem competing in what promises to be a very tough Eastern Conference race.

The biggest problem that Ainge may have to deal with is making sure that Rondo is a happy camper all season. We already saw what happened with the Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom. After being included in the original deal for Paul, Odom was unhappy enough to the point where the Lakers had to ship him to Dallas for next to nothing.

Trade rumors can effect different players in different ways. One thing the Celtics can't afford is an unhappy point guard running the offense. If Ainge has created a monster, it could turn into a very big distraction in Boston.