Houston is far from an ideal trade partner for Boston. One of their best assets is wildly overpaid (Asik); the other is so underpaid that management is reluctant to let him go (Parsons). But, the motive for both sides exists nonetheless. What would it take for Houston to bring in Rondo as the final piece to their championship puzzle?
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=mj5zv8t Coming in: Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin, Chandler Parsons, 2015 HOU 1st rounder, 2017 HOU 1st rounder, 2015 HOU-owned 2nd rounder (from NYK), 2015 HOU-owned 2nd rounder (less favorable between Minny and Denver)
Going out: Rajon Rondo, Gerald Wallace
Reasoning: I'm sure even some Cs fans would tell me this is unrealistic... Why would Houston take Wallace's contract and give us four picks along with Parsons for an ornery point guard who some feel wouldn't fit with Houston's roster? Here's why:
- Houston is in win now mode. It's clear. I can't see Morey being fickle about a couple of second rounders/Parsons if he's getting a star in return. This deal vaults Houston into legitimate title talks not only next year but for years to come.
- We've heard from credible sources that Asik's contract and Lin's contract are seen as toxic. This is great news for Celtics fans who worried that Asik's incoming value would be seen as positive from a general market perspective. Not only can Ainge get a starting-level big in Asik by doing this deal, he can milk a few more assets out of Houston by pointing to his contract as well as Lin's. To me, this is the only way we unload Wallace before 2016.
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