In the latest NBA trade rumors bombshell, two of the league's historic rivals, the Boston Celtics and the L.A. Lakers, are reportedly talking about a potential swap involving NBA All-Stars Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo.
On the cusp of NBA All-Star Weekend, CBS reported Friday that the Lakers have engaged in preliminary trade talks involving a possible deal that would send Howard out east to the Celtics in exchange for Rondo and possibly other players involved.
Ironically enough, the news breaks on the same day as Howard informed the press that Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told Howard that the Lakers would not be trading him despite rumors running rampant to the contrary.
"[The Lakers] told me they weren't going to trade me," Howard said. "That's what [General Manager]Mitch [Kupchak] said."
Indeed, Kupchak has been public about his desire not to trade Howard. However, with the Lakers having struggled this season, and Howard and fellow West All-Star Kobe Bryant trading punches in the headlines as of late, the Lakers face the reality that they may not be able to resign Howard, whose contract expires at the end of this year.
However, if the rumors turn out to be accurate, the potential impact on both teams and in both conferences would be seismic.
The Lakers already have a point guard, future Hall of Famer Steve Nash, who they paid a handsome three-year, $27 million deal to acquire the services of over the summer. Rondo, who tore his ACL last month and just had surgery on it this week, would be of no use to the Lakers this season, but next season, when the 26-year-old four-time All-Star would expected heal, pairing him alongside Bryant would provide the Lakers with arguably the best backcourt in the NBA, as well as making them younger and giving the aging team a new star to rebuild around.
And Nash? Unless the 38-year-old all-time NBA assists leader would be open to a backup role--and that seems unlikely--he would make attractive trade bait for the Lakers to acquire new pieces, possibly younger ones.
Meanwhile, Howard's presence in Boston would give the Celtics a young, new star in his prime to rebuild their graying team around as they look to the post-Big Three era. Howard would provide, for this season, and possibly next, depending on whether Kevin Garnett decides to stay another year or retire, a star-studded and impressive frontline in Howard, Garnett and Paul Pierce.
Garnett, who also plays center, has a no-trade clause in his contract and he has said this month that he wants to retire as a Celtic. That would leave Celtics coach Doc Rivers with a tough, yet wonderful problem of figuring out how to balance these stars in a frontcourt the level of which has not been seen wearing Celtic green since the days of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish and the championship Celtics teams of the 1980s. And it would certainly give Boston a huge lift in their push for the Atlantic Division crown and the NBA playoffs.
And, in case it gets that far, Dwight Howard has always been a problem that the Miami Heat have had trouble solving.
However, Howard has been remaining noncommittal about what the future holds for him, be it trade rumors or the offseason.
"I've got to do what makes me happy. That's it," Howard told the L.A. Times regarding his future plans. "Having fun on the court -- that makes me happy."
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