Rondo trade circus reaches new heights

This afternoon, Sam Amick via USA Today reported that despite rumors of a deal that would send Isiah Thomas, Ben McLemore, Marcus Thornton, Jason Thompson and picks to the Celtics in a deal for Rondo, both teams confirmed to Amick that the Celtics and Kings have not held any conversations about sending the the All-Star point guard to California.

Two hours later, Donny Marshall of NBCSN reported that the people he talks to are saying a deal that would send Rondo to Sacramento is virtually done and would include multiple Celtics. This isn't the first time that Donny Marshall has predicted that Rajon Rondo would be on the move.

WEEI/Green Street - February 2013

“It seems like they needed to be more mentally healthy, and it looks like that’s what they are right now,” Marshall said. “I don’t want to make it sound like Rondo is … by no means is he a Dwight Howard that’s going to screw things up just because it’s all about him, going to purposely screw the mechanism up of Doc [Rivers'] machine there. But sometimes when we’re young and have success early we can’t stay out of our own way, and I think Rondo kind of ran into that a little bit. He really is a great player, but there’s more than just being a great player when it comes to basketball.”

Donny Marshall claims a Rondo trade to the Kings is a "done deal."

Not to be left out of the conversation, CSNNE.com’s A. Sherrod Blakely joined the conversation and dropped the mic on his former Boston media colleague by saying Rondo is staying put:

Despite Celtics VP of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge repeatedly saying that Rondo is their guy and not going anywhere, that hasn’t quelled any rumors from swirling.

Adding gas to the fire, last week when asked about potentially going to New York to play with Carmelo Anthony, Rondo replied to the media with, “I’m a Celtic right now.”

While it is the opinion of this blogger that the Sacramento rumor is complete bullshit, what could Sacramento possibly offer that would get Danny Ainge’s attention? By just going young, the salaries don’t match. By just going with experience, the talent doesn’t match. By trying to go with a mix of youth and talent, the entire roster of Sacramento would be involved in the trade. Our own Mike Dyer cooked up this option, which as Marshall reported included multiple Celtics… but also decimates the Sac-Town roster.

Is he going? Is he staying? Is he being traded? What’s being offered? We’re all over it. Stay tuned.

In the meantime...

Follow Padraic O'Connor on Twitter @padraic_oconnor

Sources: Baxter Holmes; Boston Globe

Yahoo/NBC Sports

RealGM/Sam Amick; USA Today

Photo Source: Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images
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