Just because Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony are off the market doesn't mean all the deals in the NBA are done.
After making a move for Anthony, the Houston Rockets tried to land Chris Bosh, but that deal fell through after he decided to go back to Miami for a longer max deal with larger yearly raises. They ended up losing Chandler Parsons in the process, but now there are rumors they are still trying to get Rajon Rondo or Kevin Love this summer.
The Celtics drafted point guard Marcus Smart in the first round, so they are clearly looking for options at that position. Also, the Celtics are also trying to land Love, but so far they haven't been able to get the Timberwolves to work a deal.
As it stands right now, James Harden is the biggest offensive contributor for the Rockets. Adding Rajon Rondo, one of the NBA's best point guards, would go a long way toward giving them more scoring options. Harden would have more opportunities created by Rondo's ball handling and passing ability, and Rondo to Howard would be a top-tier pick-and-roll combination.
ESPN's Marc Stein thinks the Rocket's pursuit of Rondo will intensify as more of the big names are locked down.
The Celtics and Rockets were reportedly involved in talks earlier this year, but the Rockets were said to have no interest in brokering a deal as the Celtics wanted Parsons in return. Now that the Rockets have allowed Parsons to head to Dallas, a trade for Rondo may include point guard Patrick Beverley, who assumed the starting point guard for Houston after replacing Jeremy Lin this season. Beverley averaged 10.2 points per game and 2.7 assist per game this season, but is a defensive stand-out. Rondo averaged 11.7 points per game, and 9.8 assist for the Celtics.
