While it’s going to take a monster offer for anyone to get the Boston Celtics agreement to trade Rajon Rondo, he’s on the table if there are lucrative offers. The same goes for Jeff Green, although his contract is a bit harder to move.
The Celtics would love to deal Green, but his contract, which keeps him with the team until 2106 (including a last-season player option) for $9 million and then $9.4 million a season isn’t something most teams would go for.The Oklahoma City Thunder knew what they were doing when they traded Green away for Kendrick Perkins, and it’s taken Danny Ainge quite a long time to find out that the inconsistent Green, averaging 16.4 points while shooting 41.6% from the field just isn’t worth the money.
Rondo? He’s got a bigger market out there, even with the injury concerns. It’s been a slow way back for him, but he has been getting better and better, and is averaging 9.8 points and 7.1 assists since his return. However, the Celtics see him as a cornerstone for the franchise, and it’s going to take a superstar in order for Danny Ainge to agree to some sort of deal sending him away from the team.
Or simply knowing they can’t keep him. The Celtics are counting on the summer of 2015 to be their big one in the free agency market, when they’ll be rid of some very bad deals (although not all of them, like Keith Bogans), but one of the questions will be whether or not they’ll be actually able to keep Rondo on the team – making it worth his while. It’s not just if Rondo is worth and will ask for maximum money, but also whether or not the Celtics will have a chance of keeping him: There are going to be some big names, like the Lakers and the Knicks, with a lot of cap space available, who’ll also be competing for the big names.
Right now there aren’t any offers on the table – not for Green, and nothing good enough for Rondo. But the Celtics are willing to listen, but it’s doubtful they’ll find someone willing to pay the price.