REPORT: CELTICS, LAKERS DISCUSS RAJON RONDO FOR DWIGHT HOWARD TRADE

WEEI

By Ben Rohrbach

Rajon Rondo

The Celtics and Lakers "have engaged in preliminary trade discussions" about a deal that would send Rajon Rondo to Los Angeles and bring Dwight Howard to Boston, according to CBSSports.com's Ken Berger.

Since Rondo makes $11 million in salary and Howard makes $19.5 million, the Celtics would have to include more pieces to make such a blockbuster deal work. Still, the Lakers are hesitant to deal the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and the Celtics would need assurance that Howard would re-sign in Boston this summer, according to the report. Those obstacles — and so many more — make the trade a long shot.

Still, the C's and Lakers could table what little discussion has actually taken place until the offseason, when Rondo's recovery from ACL surgery has progressed and Howard becomes a sign-and-trade possibility, Berger said.

Just imagine how Rondo would perform on national TV against the Celtics.
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Would Boston trade work for Dwight Howard, Lakers?

By Ken Berger | NBA insider/CBS SPORTS

Feb. 15, 2013 9:25 PM ET

Dwight Howard's future may be up in the air again. (US Presswire)

HOUSTON -- The smiles were hard to come by Friday for Dwight Howard, once the thousand-watt light bulb of the NBA.

He briefly managed a grin when discussing his Center Center for Centers," a YouTube bit about a fictional training center where centers -- banished from the All-Star ballot –- are trained to become point guards, and thus given the ability to become "productive members of the NBA," Howard said.

But that was all the fun and games for Howard, whose jovial presence in the sport has been muted by two solid years of uncertainty about his future. Last year in Orlando, the Dwightmare was in full force, consuming All-Star weekend with speculation over where Howard would be traded after he'd made it clear he wanted no part of staying with the Magic. A blockbuster trade that sent Howard to L.A. -- the kind of glitzy market he craved, in an environment shrouded in championships –- has not made him happy.

Howard said Friday that Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has told him he does not want to trade the free agent-to-be. It's the same message Kupchak delivered in a recent interview with Newsday and the same message he's given Howard's agent, Dan Fegan, in recent weeks.

However, CBSSports.com has learned that the Lakers have engaged in preliminary trade discussions with an unlikely trade partner regarding Howard: their fierce rival, the Boston Celtics. The centerpieces of the possible deal, which hasn't gained any traction, would be Howard and Rajon Rondo.

The imagination runs rampant with the tantalizing possibilities.

Other significant pieces would have to be involved, since Rondo's $11 million salary is substantially less than Howard's $19.5 million. If the Lakers dealt Howard for an All-Star point guard who is out for the rest of the season following ACL surgery, they'd effectively be throwing in the towel on this miserable, underachieving season and looking to next year.

The Celtics would be going all-in for a quick rebuild centered around Howard, with the hopes they could find a point guard in the draft or in free agency to capably run their offense – which they've managed to do in Rondo's absence anyway. Celtics president Danny Ainge has flirted with several trade possibilities for Rondo over the years, and the point guard's hyper-competitive drive and strong personality have proved difficult for coach Doc Rivers to manage.

There are at least two significant impediments to a Howard-Rondo deal. First, as Howard said Friday, the Lakers continue to insist they won't trade him, which sources say is the impression the Celtics have gotten, too. Second, Celtics president Danny Ainge would not trade Rondo without an assurance that Howard would re-sign with Boston as a free agent this summer, a league source said. Howard has shown no inclination to commit to anyone, including the Lakers, until the season is over.

Since the league source familiar with the discussions characterized them as preliminary, it's possible that the talks could be tabled until after the season. In that case, Howard would have to agree to a sign-and-trade to the Celtics that would only yield him a four-year deal as opposed to the five years the Lakers could offer him (or the Celtics, if he were traded there by Feb. 21 and subsequently re-signed). The Celtics could only acquire Howard in a sign-and-trade if they eschewed their full mid-level and remained below the so-called luxury-tax apron, a threshold $4 million above the tax line that was added in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement.

While the discussions have yet to progress, if nothing else, they open a potential avenue open for the Lakers to minimize the chances of losing Howard as a free agent and getting nothing in return. In other words, a fallback plan.

Would a trade to the Celtics make Howard happy, something he admitted Friday he has only experienced "at certain points" with the Lakers this season? At this point, it's difficult to fathom what, exactly, would make Howard happy. All we know is that Howard is determined not to commit to anyone before the season is over, including the Lakers, because he wants to avoid the distractions and circus atmosphere that consumed his final months in Orlando.

"I'm not going to deal with it," Howard said. "I had to deal with it all last year; I'm not going to do it again."

Also, league sources say several other teams intrigue Howard as possible destinations. The Nets, his first choice last season, remain a viable option -- but only via a trade before Feb. 21 since the Nets are well above the tax apron. The third team on Howard's original list, the Mavericks, have plenty of cap room and tradable contracts. The Rockets, hosts for this All-Star weekend, have become more attractive, sources say.

"I like their team," Howard said of the Rockets. "They're a great team. They're young, they play together, they're scrappy. … It's fun to watch them. They're one of the teams that we can tell that in a few years is going to be really good."

During his long, clumsy exit from Orlando, Howard was in a place where he'd spent his entire career. He knew the landscape, his role in the community and what the future would be like. After a tumultuous seven months with the Lakers, I asked him what factors would weigh into his free-agent decision this time.

"I've got to do what makes me happy," Howard said. "That's it."

Asked what makes him happy, and what has made him happy in the past, Howard said, "Having fun on the court. That's what makes me happy."

Howard remains far from 100 percent after back surgery last spring, and continues to deal with a torn labrum in his right shoulder and the frayed egos and competing agendas on a struggling Lakers team. So he didn't have to answer the next question, about whether he's having as much fun as he used to. But he did answer it, honestly.

"At the present time, no," he said. "Hopefully it gets better."

Asked if he's still the best center in the NBA, Howard said, "Yes. Even at 75 percent."

But while Howard's health and happiness are still wavering, there's no doubt about the percentage chance he'll address whether he plans to stay in L.A. or leave this summer. That would be zero, presenting the kind of uncertainty that the Lakers have to at least contemplate with the trade deadline six days away.

"The only thing that matters right now is the present," Howard said. "There's no need for me to talk about what happens at the end of the season. There's no need to go back and forth about it. I just feel like at the end of the year, that's when I should have my opportunity to make my own decision. I shouldn't be pressured or criticized for waiting until the end of the year.

"Nobody can control what happens at the end of the year," Howard said.

Not yet, anyway.

112288

I recall an avid Celtics fan recently advocating a trade for Dwight Howard. Oh yes, that was me. Doc could make Dwight a very happy Superman.
In 2006 Dwight contributed a chapter to a book titled "How do you know He's Real? God Unplugged" by Amy Hammond Hagberg. His real goals in the NBA? "To put the cross on the NBA logo and to see that the world gets to know who Jesus Christ is."

I know Dwight gets some justified criticism for playing without heart and for acting like a spoiled celebrity. What others fail to understand about Dwight is that he has a good moral core and can at some point come to remember that he was more satisfied following God's plan for his life than that of his own ego.

Whatever happens or doesn't happen in a Rondo/Howard deal, what really matters is how these two young men develop as spiritual beings. They both have issues, but they each have lots of good in them. I wish both of them well and will be happy to see either one play out his career in Boston. To me the best part about playing on the Celtics now is that Doc cares about his players as people , and they can benefit from his mentorship in ways beyond the basketball court.

: 11:19 PM ET


Chris Broussard: I just spoke w/Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak about supposed D12-for-Rondo trade talks w/Celtics. He denied it strongly.... Twitter @Chris_Broussard

Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Trade, Rajon Rondo, Mitch Kupchak, Dwight Howard | share




Chris Broussard: (Con't) Kupchak said "I haven't talked to Danny Ainge in weeks. I made the statement a week or 2 ago that we're not going to trade Dwight Howard and that hasn't changed." Kupchak said at no pt this season has a D12-for-Rondo trade been discussed. Twitter @Chris_Broussard

Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Trade, Rajon Rondo, Mitch Kupchak, Dwight Howard | share




David Aldrdige: Source who would definitely know re: reported Rondo/Howard talks: "nothing. Zero. Nada. Niente. Clear?" So, there's that. Twitter @daldridgetnt

Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Trade, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard | share




Chris Broussard: (Con't) Kupchak added that he hasn't talked with anyone else in Celtics organization. Twitter @Chris_Broussard

Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Trade, Rajon Rondo, Mitch Kupchak, Dwight Howard | share

NBA Trade Rumor: Celtics, Lakers talked, but before Rondo got hurt
By Jeff Clark on Feb 15, 11:15p
2
Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports
Mark Murphy confirms the rumor but indicates that it is old news.

Mark Murphy talked to a source that confirmed the Dwight Howard/Rajon Rondo rumor, but indicated that it is old news and no longer valid.

Source confirms that Cs talked Rondo/Howard swap with Lakers | Boston Herald

A league source tonight confirmed a CBSSports.com report that the Celtics held preliminary discussions with the Lakers about trading Rajon Rondo for Dwight Howard. "The Lakers like Rondo, and (the Celtics) have looked into getting Howard in the past," said the source, who termed the likelihood of such a deal now "unlikely." Talks were last held at least two weeks ago, before Rondo was diagnosed with a torn ACL in his right knee. The Celtics guard underwent surgery by Dr. James Andrews last Tuesday in Florida, where Rondo is currently recuperating. The surgery seemingly ended any real chance of trade discussions moving beyond the preliminary phase.

So there's that.

112288

'TIS THE SEASON BEFORE THE TRADE DEADLINE

Deck the dailies with full of bully
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
'Tis the season full of liers
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la
Don the pages with false headlines
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la.
Troll the rosters for great players
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la.

112288 - Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!!!!!!!!!

Ships passing in the night.

Howard will be thrilled to finally have A PG that can and will feed him the ball and Rondo would finally have a true low post presence to exploit....

Oh wait a minute...you mean they will not be playing on the same team?


Brilliant...Trade your best player for their 2nd player. And also give up something else to make the numbers work. It appears that the ACL tear was timely event.. A stay of execution so to speak.

Smart GM's get rid of old worn out pieces like a Paul Pierce and replace them with pieces that have a longer shelf life. The Celtics will not win another championship with pp as the main guy. What we need is a new main guy. A younger more vibrant main guy.

dboss

So it turns out 112288 is also a talented songwriter...

I don't think even Doc could reach Howard. He just does not bring the same motivation game in and game out. The NBA is woefully weak regarding lack of true post playing Centers as in the days of Jabbar, Parrish, Chamberlain, Thurmond, Reed, Cowens, Unseld, and of course Russell. Rondo may be hard headed in some respects, but his effort is called into question far less than Howard's. Besides his (Howard's) back is not near 100% and he now has a torn labrum. Maybe Rondo will have to be traded at some point in the future after his rehab and he is able to pass a physical, but if he must go, I'd rather see it be for someone with more heart than Howard. Regarding the comment concerning the team not winning a title with Pierce as the main go-to player now, that is probably true, but he bleeds green and he will give you all he has night in and night out.

MD!

Forget it. Dwight Howard is all stats and no heart.

Rondo is exactly the opposite. He has the heart of a lion.

I would take Al Jefferson all day and twice on Sunday over Howard.