The trade debate will never end. The point to be made here is not Rondo for Cousins. The point is, if you want a franchise player you need to trade one. Rondo is a franchise player and Ainge is looking for one.

Using Sacramento/Seattle as an example. Sacramento's GM cannot trade Cousins for a package of bench players or a "solid starter." Without the locker room issues and Cousin's relative youth, he is their "franchise player."

If you don't understand this then, avoid trade discussion completely because the only way the Celtics are going to get a franchise player like Garnett is to find a similar situation as the Garnett trade years ago.

Ainge must find a trade partner who is under pressure to trade their own franchise player. KG was leaving the Twolves remember? McHale had to get something and Ainge filled the bill.

Cousins is on the radar because he is a head case. AB and Sully cannot get Ainge a player of this quality and very few people at this blog understand this....a GM must sell tickets and keep his franchise relevant. Jeff Green, Avery Bradley and Jared Sullinger are our guys, we love them and maybe they are our future. Not one of these three players is going to sell one damn ticket in Seattle or Sacramento.

Cousins is not a secondary player. He is a star with issues which is why he has been mentioned on this blog 12,000 times. He is a big man that a team can be built around and Ainge will make his best play for him.

Who would be involved? Pierce is not going. KG has a no trade. Is it that hard to see why Rondo is Ainge's principal chip? Rondo the multiple all star, occasional MVP candidate, outstanding playoff performer and the current NBA referee assault champ has a ton of value right now and do you know why?

He is a show boat. He plays big in big games, throws shit at refs, gets thrown out of games, starts fights, sets NBA records and spends more time on the phone with Commissioner Stern than Mrs. Stern. Thus? Will sell tickets, probably a lot of them. Rondo to Sac/Sea for Cousins is doable for their GM. Rondo is a front page of the paper kinda guy with the stats, on the court negotiating techniques and talent to keep him there.

If you want to trade the Celtic's bench? Trade them for someone else's bench.