Reports: Knicks eye deal for Celtics' Rondo

Knicks still exploring Shumpert deal

By Ian Begley | Special to ESPNNewYork.com

The New York Knicks continue to dangle Iman Shumpert in trade talks, including a recent proposal to the Celtics that would send the third-year guard and Amar'e Stoudemire to Boston in an effort to obtain star point guard Rajon Rondo, league sources confirmed Sunday.

The Celtics, though, have yet to show interest in the deal, instead preferring to unload forward Gerald Wallace in a trade, sources said.

The Knicks have inquired about Rondo in trade talks before, but both times the Celtics made it clear they were not interested in trading him.

Rondo currently remains sidelined while recovering from February ACL surgery.

Sources did say the Celtics would be willing to take on Stoudemire's contract if they could unload some of their longer deals, namely those of Wallace and Courtney Lee.

The Knicks may be reluctant to take Wallace back because they're hesitant to take on salary beyond the 2014-15 season.

The Knicks have three large contracts (Stoudemire, Tyson Chandler and Andrea Bargnani) coming off their books at the end the 2014-15 season and would like to be in position to acquire a top-flight free agent.

A trade including Wallace and Stoudemire would seem to benefit the Celtics financially. Boston is in rebuilding mode, and Stoudemire's contract expires a year before Wallace's.

One factor that could complicate trade talks involving Shumpert is that the 2011 first-round pick had a second surgery on his left knee this summer, league sources confirmed on Sunday.

A source with knowledge of Shumpert's surgery described it as a minor procedure.

Shumpert's knee surgery and the Knicks' attempts to trade a package including him to Boston was reported earlier Sunday by the New York Daily News.

Shumpert had surgery following his one-game stint in the Las Vegas Summer League in July, sources said.

One league source with knowledge of the team's thinking said that some in the Knicks' organization were upset by the timing of Shumpert's surgery because they felt he could have had it earlier in the summer.

Knicks coach Mike Woodson said in October that Shumpert came into training camp a bit out of shape and suffered pain in his knee in the offseason.

Shumpert had surgery to repair the left ACL and meniscus in his left knee in April 2012. He spent seven months rehabbing. So the fact that Shumpert had a second surgery on the same knee may be a red flag for teams interested in trading for him.

The Knicks and Nuggets discussed a Shumpert-for-Kenneth Faried swap last week. New York believed it had a deal completed on Tuesday morning, a league source told ESPNNewYork.com. But the trade fell through when Denver asked the Knicks to include at least one draft pick.

The Knicks are in search of frontcourt help to help ease the burden of the injured Chandler, who is expected to miss at least three more weeks with a fractured right fibula. The Knicks (3-6) are comfortable dealing Shumpert for help on the front line because they believe J.R. Smith and rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. can fill their needs at shooting guard.

The Knicks have tried to move Stoudemire several times over the past year. But teams are hesitant to take on his contract ($45 million this year and next) and history of knee issues. Stoudemire is currently playing on a minutes limit to protect his oft-injured knees. Stoudemire had three surgeries on his knee in a 10-month span and his contract is uninsured due to a long history of knee ailments.
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YAHOO

By The Sports Xchange

The New York Knicks, long rumored to be shopping guard Iman Shumpert, are offering him to the Boston Celtics in a bid for injured point guard Rajon Rondo, multiple media outlets reported Sunday.

Multiple reports also surfaced Sunday that Shumpert underwent a previously unrevealed left knee surgery last summer. Shumpert had an operation on the same knee in the spring of 2012, causing him to miss the start of the 2012-13 season.
Shumpert, 23, did not miss any action this season. He is averaging 8.3 points (matching his career figure) along with 5.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 30.7 minutes over the first nine games.

According to both the New York Daily News and ESPNNewYork.com, the Knicks' target in a deal with Boston would be Rondo. The 27-year-old point guard has yet to play this season as he recovers from surgery in February to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Rondo has career averages of 11.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game.
In their bid to acquire Rondo, the Knicks are offering power forward Shumpert, Amar'e Stoudemire and point guard Raymond Felton, the Daily News reported, though the story said the Celtics weren't biting. ESPNNewYork.com mentioned Shumpert and Stoudemire as possible trade pieces who could be sent to Boston.

According to the Daily News, the Knicks also had discussions with the Denver Nuggets and the Sacramento Kings regarding Shumpert, who is in his third season out of Georgia Tech.

112288

Why on earth would the Celtics make any version of that deal unless they knew Rondo were going to be damaged goods the rest of his career? Why do people assume the Celtics want to get rid of Rondo, especially for a collection of journeymen? They already did that with KG and Pierce. My message to most of the collective media:" Tank you very much; now go screw yourselves, you bunch of amateur, sensationalistic frauds. Nasty letter to follow."

Sam

Nothing to Rondo Rumors

BOSTON HERALD

By:Steve Bulpett

HOUSTON -- The recent spate of rumors regarding the possible trade of Rajon Rondo are not based in any Celtic reality.

   "I haven’t talked to any teams about Rajon Rondo," Celts' president of basketball operation Danny Ainge told the Herald this morning.

   He has, however, fielded a number of calls wanting to now if the rumors are true.

   "It's frustrating," Ainge said.

   He went on to reiterate that Rondo, still rehabbing from ACL surgery, is a major part of the Celtics' plans going forward.

   The reports in the last two days have focused more on opposing teams being interested in Rondo, but the packages of lesser players being floated as a return make no sense for the Celts.

112288

Reports: Knicks interested in Rajon Rondo
Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff
The New York Knicks are interested in trading for Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, according to two reports over the weekend.

Both the New York Daily News and ESPN's Chris Broussard reported that the Knicks were interested in trading for Rondo. The return for Rondo would center around Iman Shumpert, Raymond Felton and Amar'e Stoudemire, according to the News. According to Broussard, the interest on Boston's side is minimal.

It's no secret any team would be interested in trading for Rondo, especially if his knee injury brought him at a discount. The Celtics aren't likely to part with Rondo without a draft pick or asset for the future. Trading him within the division also seems unlikely.

Daily News reporter Frank Isola tweeted that a Rondo deal actually makes more sense between the Celtics and Houston Rockets, where center Omer Asik is unhappy. Would a return of Asik and Jeremy Lin be enough to pry Rondo out of Boston?

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge denied to the Herald Monday morning that he had been shopping Rondo. Like the question of tanking, though, a denial at one moment in time means virtually nothing. A million little decisions go into every big one. Would the Celtics trade Rondo for pennies on the dollar? Of course not. Would they trade him for an All-Star and a first round pick? Maybe. The answer to the "trade Rondo" question will be different every day from now until the NBA draft. Ainge has made it clear he'll do what's best for the team, and what's best is not static or even measurable.

Do you want the Celtics to trade Rondo, or build around him? Vote in our survey below.

112288

Shumpert, a SG, whom we already have too many of, and a broken down, injury-prone, over-the-hill 30-something for a top glight pount guard?


I'd be fall-down shocked if Danny okayed this, not unless he already had another trade in hand for Amae'e.

Our woes at running an offense are already obvious. If we move Rondo, those limits become fixed rather than just a month or two from resolution. Crawford is doing a good job filling in, but he's no Rondo.




bob



.

Gerald Wallace may have declined as a player, but Amare Stoudemire's productivity has fallen off a cliff. This is Stoudemire now:

-- He has had three knee surgeries in the past 12 months.

-- The Knick medical staff recommends that he be limited to 10 minutes per game and not play both games of back-to-backs.

-- He has missed three games altogether and has played an average of 10.5 minutes per game when he has played.

-- His high this year in scoring is five.

-- His high this year in rebounds is two.

He just turned 31 yet is physically more decrepit than 37-year-old, on-his-last-legs KG. The Knicks were idiots to sign him to a five year, $100 million deal. Any other team would be idiots for accepting him in a trade. Andrew Bynum and Greg Oden look like good risks in comparison.

More from the Boston Globe.

Danny Ainge said no teams have contacted him about Rajon Rondo
Posted by Baxter Holmes, Globe Staff  November 18, 2013 11:48 AM

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2013/11/danny_ainge_said_no_teams_have_contacted_him_about_rajon_ron.html

Here's a portion (bold for emphasis is mine):

"Rondo is coming off an injury and I think people know how much we love Rondo, so I don’t expect anybody to inquire, quite honestly," Ainge said. "People know that Rondo is a big part of our future and that we’re not going to trade him."

Ainge called Rondo, a four-time All-Star, "the centerpiece of our future."

He added, "Guys that are starting All-Star players just don’t come around. The special players, the transcendent players in our league, are very difficult to find and acquire. We believe Rondo is one of those guys. He’s a very special player. We value him a great deal."

The Celtics made many offseason changes, overhauling the roster and hiring Brad Stevens as their head coach after Doc Rivers left to coach the Los Angeles Clippers.

And, as the NBA is a business, there could always be more changes down the road.

Yet even though no player on any team is ever untradeable, it seems unlikely that Rondo will be leaving Boston anytime soon.

"What’s real is, he’s going nowhere," Ainge said. "That’s what’s real."

Why trade Rondo when you can build around him?

Of course, the Knicks are nothing short of an absurd franchise. It's their fault for signing Stoudimire to that contract. Now they have to live with it.



KJ

Listen,

This can be Danny's opening salvo and a message to any team who wants  Rondo........you want him....pay me........and I want a premium for trading Rondo.  

No news about a trade is ever released by a GM/President unless they want it leaked.

It is professional conduct.  If Danny was in talks and he told the other party (Knicks)  to keep it quiet....they would do it.........unless Danny said it was ok to release it to the press.

Danny set up the Knicks as a stalking horse.

112288

112288 wrote:Listen,

This can be Danny's opening salvo and a message to any team who wants  Rondo........you want him....pay me........and I want a premium for trading Rondo.  

No news about a trade is ever released by a GM/President unless they want it leaked.

It is professional conduct.  If Danny was in talks and he told the other party (Knicks)  to keep it quiet....they would do it.........unless Danny said it was ok to release it to the press.

Danny set up the Knicks as a stalking horse.

112288

112288,


If Danny is just swtting the bar high, wouldn't he set it higher than,Shumpert and Amar'e? Rondo is a 4x all-star, elite point guard, World Champion.

P.S. I hate posting from my 'droid.


bob



.

Bob,

For sure he would. I think Danny may have been proposed other trades from teams with similar NO VALUE but kept it quiet. Here he wanted to make a statement..........NO THANK YOU for the load of non-talent proposal.

112288

112288,

Is there anything Ainge could say for you to believe that he really isn't going to trade Rondo?

Outside,

Ainge said ...........for the right player(s) anyone is expendable for the good of the team..............so to think otherwise is niave.

112288

Trading Rondo without securing another PG of comparable ability would be foolish. We are witnessing the effects of not having a true starting PG in the rotation (nothing against Crawford).

And finding a PG of comparable ability would be very difficult, considering the fact that Rondo is an elite-level PG. Then you have the salary cap situation. Rondo actually makes less money than the other guys he's often compared to. In fact, Rondo should be considered a bargain.

Building a team should consist of acquiring needs without giving up a just as, if not more, important need.



KJ

KJ,

First, Rondo is a bargain for 1 more year.....after that he may be gone.

Second, Rondo is not the end of all and will not make the Celtics winners this year....we do not have the players to compete night in and night out. We are deficient at a starting center, a back up defensive center, and a sniper shooting guard among other things.

If a trade is made for Rondo for another positional player, Danny will get a young point guard in return for sure.

112288

Not gonna happen.

The Knicks are in worse shape than the Celtics. They are not good enough to win anything, but just good enough to break their fans hearts....AND their on the hook for a lot of dollars going forward. Not an enviable position.

MK,

That is a given that it will not be with the Knicks.  I guess the Knick's were throwing Shxt against the wall to see if anything sticks. Perhaps it opens discussions about Humphries and Wallace.

112288

Humphries is a big part to the salary cap relief that the Celtics need to make a move next off season. He isnt going anywhere imo.

112288 wrote:Ainge said ...........for the right player(s) anyone is expendable for the good of the team..............so to think otherwise is niave.

Of course this is a business and anyone is tradeable, for the right deal. If OKC wants to give up Durant for Rondo and whoever else is needed to make the numbers work, Ainge will say yes. But Ainge said these things:

"People know that Rondo is a big part of our future and that we’re not going to trade him."

Calls Rondo "the centerpiece of our future."

"Guys that are starting All-Star players just don’t come around. The special players, the transcendent players in our league, are very difficult to find and acquire. We believe Rondo is one of those guys."

"What’s real is, he’s going nowhere. That’s what’s real."

I interpret that as Ainge saying that Rondo's value is so high that he'd only consider a ridiculous Durant-for-Rondo deal. You seem to interpret that as a negotiating ploy to up the stakes in an active effort to trade Rondo.

Again, I don't think there's anything Ainge could say that would convince you that he's not trying to trade Rondo.

Ainge and the Celtics are in an excellent position to do nothing.

Dboss

Knicks are pathetic

Outside,

I cannot at this moment (as I am in middle of business) but I can sight you quotes from Ainge that everyone can be traded for the benefit of the Celtics as a whole. He has stated this more times then I have fingers and toes so I'll stick to that quote by Danny.

My point...........Danny will say anything that fits the moment to get the heat off of him about Rondo.

112288

112288 wrote:Outside,

I cannot at this moment (as I am in middle of business) but I can sight you quotes from Ainge that everyone can be traded for the benefit of the Celtics as a whole. He has stated this more times then I have fingers and toes so I'll stick to that quote by Danny.

My point...........Danny will say anything that fits the moment to get the heat off of him about Rondo.
..
112288

112288,

I don't doubt for a second Danny would trade Rondo in a heartbeat if he got an offer he couldn't refuse.  The trade of Celtic-for-life Paul Pierce this summer proves that.  That's not the same as Danny dangling Rondo as potential trade bait for a deal that is ludicrous on the face of it, like this one.  

Rondo is at his lowest value right now.  He's rebabbing from ACL surgery and has yet to prove he's back.  His contract is lower than his worth assuming he can come back (and Rose and Petersen show that coming back isn't that big a stretch of imagination).  Trader Danny is, if nothing else, shrewd.  He buys low and sells high and Rondo's value right now is low.  In a matter of months, when Rondo comes back, his value will increase.  Why would Danny float offers to the press now, when it is in his best interest to just wait and let his asset improve with time?  It's not like we need a change to make a championship run this year.

For Danny to leak this deal to the press makes no sense to me at all.  It's a horrid deal from our perspective.  If Danny's trying to talk up Rondo to potential suitors, why would he float this deal?  It stinks, for us.  It makes it look like Rondo can be had for a good but not top tier talent and a broken-down old horse and that makes Danny's job of getting a really good offer for Rondo even harder since other GM's might base any offer they make upon this crappy one.  To me, if anything, this is the type of offer that Danny buries or, failing that, publicly laughs at because it makes Rondo look cheap to be had.

What I think is more likely is that someone from the Knicks side of the fence leaked it to the NY press to try to make it look like they are actively trying to improve their team, which is not looking good right now. The Knicks are the team that is desperately trying to keep Carmelo happy, and re-sign. The Knicks are the ones with the crosstown rivalry with the Nets, who made big moves this summer. The Knicks are the team that's thinking "now", not us.

This doesn't mean the offer wasn't made by the Knicks, but it also doesn't mean it had a chance of a snowflake in Hell either. It also doesn't mean that Danny was the initiator or leaker.


bob


.

Bob, I don't really think the Pierce deal and any deal that might involve Rondo would be similar. In Pierce, Danny was dealing the past in order to start amassing assets for the future. In Rondo, Danny would be dealing a huge present and future asset for another form of future asset. What would be the same in both Pierc's trade and a Rondo trade would be is that sentimentality would not hold Danny back. In that regard I think you've nailed it.

Sam

BOB,

I agree...could have been the Knick's PR department helping to get some positive PR for as team that is in trouble and also maybe headed to rebuilding next year. If it was the Knick's.......I am surprised that they would release such a god awful trade proposal as the one they released.

As for trading Rondo...........there is a high percentage for him staying and being resigned next year.  Why?
1) Danny has him cheap for this year and next.
2) Unless there is a fantastic player in the mix for Rondo....there is no reason to trade him.  He is a super star.

I may be long gone but someday Rondo will coach the Celtics.....I'm calling it now!  He has the fire....passion...smarts......and I think he likes the side line action of being a coach.

112288