NBA Trade Rumors: Rajon Rondo To Phoenix? Dragic To Indiana? Pacers Building Three-Team Trade For Point Guard Upgrade!
The NBA Trade Rumors have started grinding, and we have a complicated three-team deal that the Indiana Pacers are trying to orchestrate a complicated trade that will bring them a much needed point guard upgrade.
The deal is precipitated by their intention to acquire a better point guard, and the target they have in mind is Goran Dragic. The Pacers believe that the Suns would not be able to keep both of their star point guards. Bledsoe is a restricted free agent now, but Phoenix has already declared that they would match any offer.
The Pacers do not have any assets to offer Phoenix, unless it's Paul George. Phoenix has enough picks stashed in the future and the Pacers pick is bound to be a non-lottery pick. That's why they are supposedly dragging Rajon Rondo.
The Pacers believe they can pry away Rondo from the Celtics easier than they can pry Dragic from the Suns, and they would make trade offer from there.
The rumors stemmed from a series of tweets by basketball authorities: Marc Stein of ESPN and Zach Lowe from Grantland.
From Indiana Pacers, I'm told, have tried to engage Phoenix in trade talks for Goran Dragic, but teams have found no common deal ground. Yet
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 3, 2014
Something to keep an eye on, though, with Indy known to covet an upgrade at PG and stubborn perception Suns can't afford Bledsoe AND Dragic — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 3, 2014
Pacers have little on the fringes to entice Phoenix on Dragic.Their interest, per @ESPNSteinLine, might hint at bigger discussions.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) July 3, 2014
Whispers are already out there, @ZachLowe_NBA, about Indy trying to pull in Boston to construct some sort of multi-team deal involving Rondo — Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 3, 2014
The problem for Indiana is that it would be next to impossible to take Dragic away from Phoenix. From Sporting News:
"Suns trading away Goran Dragic, possibly to the Pacers? Not so fast, says a source with knowledge of the talks.
'No, no, no,' the source said. 'Nothing to that. The team and Goran, they're still committed to each other.'"
However, the Pandora's Box has been opened. Boston, since they failed to nab Kevin Love in a trade, will probably take the long rebuild route--something that Rondo would not approve of.
It will not happen in this trade, but Rondo is on the block. We'll be posting Rajon Rondo trades and all movements in the coming weeks.