Celtics Trade Rondo

By: Will Zhang

Last month, the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks had one of the biggest trades so far this NBA season. The Boston Celtics traded 4 time all star Rajon Rondo and forward Dwight Powell to the Dallas Mavericks for Brandon Wright, Jae Crowder and Jameer Nelson along with a future 1st and 2nd round pick.

The rebuilding Celtics, who currently sit near the middle of the pack, were looking to trade point guard Rajon Rondo who is on the last year of his five year/55 million dollar contract. Rondo was the last player left on the roster from the Championship 2008 Celtic team. Since the Celtics in  traded away future hall of famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets in the 2012 offseason, there has been constant speculation of when the Celtics would trade Rondo away. During the last year of his contract Celtics GM Danny Ainge was looking to get value out of Rondo before his free agency next summer. For the past few seasons, we have heard rumors of a rift between Rondo and the front office and little chance for him to return to a resulting Boston team in free agency.

After Rondo was put on the trading block late December, this was the perfect opportunity for the Dallas Mavs. The Mavs, in a stacked western conference, had made major moves in the off season. Signing Tyson Chandler from the Knicks, trading for Houston’s Chandler Parsons and signing long time Mav and future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki to a big pay cut, the team looked poised to try to fight not only for a playoff spot but a championship.

Before the season, during contract negotiations, Mavs owner Mark Cuban, promised 12 time all star Dirk Nowitzki, that he would do everything in his power to give the team the best chances to win a championship.  When Rondo was placed on the trade block, it was a dream situation for the Maverick front office. This Mavericks teams before the trade had a strong starting five, but they were missing a good point guard. In a highly competitive Western Conference with some of the best guards in the league such as: Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard the Mavs need a good point guard that would allow them to defend these elite guards.

Rondo was the perfect fit for this team. The Mavs didn’t need a scoring guard, they were the league highest scoring team before the trade, but what they did need was one who could distribute the ball, and play solid defense. Rondo fits both of these needs. He is a pass first point-guard, a two time season assist leader, and he is an elite defender, a two-time NBA All-Defensive first team. Rondo is the current assist leader in the NBA and leads all point guards in rebounding so far this season.

In his first few games with the Mavs, he has proved to be a major asset, dishing out assists, and drawing defenders forced to guard him and not his teammates. This has opened the floor for his teammates allowing for better spacing and play in general.  In Rondo’s first six games in a Mavs uniform, the team has gone 4-2. Chemistry is definitely already building between him and his teammates and this team will be one that will continue to improve as the season progresses. This had definitely made the West much more competitive and interesting come playoff time.