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The Boston Celtics have agreed in principle to trade Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks, according to ESPN's Marc Stein and Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski. In return they the Celtics receive center Brandan Wright, wing Jae Crowder, and point guard Jameer Nelson, a 2015 first round pick, and a 2016 second round pick. Boston will also send rookie forward Dwight Powell to Dallas and release center Vitor Faverani.
Boston will send Rajon Rondo and Dwight Powell to Dallas for Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jamar Nelson, 2015 first-round and future second.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) December 18, 2014
It's incredible how quickly this deal happened, especially after how long the rumors tiptoed along the past few years. It was only Thursday morning when Wojnarowski reported that Danny Ainge was shopping Rondo, and only one day later, he will reportedly be playing for a new organization.
Personally, I love the deal. I think this is the type of forward-thinking move that only teams with a winning mentality make. Boston knows they can't get stuck in the dreaded middle of the NBA, so they are making a move that'll drop them to the bottom before they slingshot back to the top.
The Celtics likely also create a trade exception worth nearly $13 million with this transaction, which could be of monstrous value next summer. Wright is a player that could be "on the bus" down the line, due to his ability to protect the rim, though he could also work as trade bait before the February 19 trade deadline. Crowder might not be a big name, but he's only 24-years-old and is already an extremely versatile defender. Boston may view him as a keeper, especially if he continues to excel from the three-point line.
And of course, acquiring more draft picks never hurts. Boston will now have three first round draft picks in 2015, including Philadelphia's second round draft pick; they will now be in the pole position to acquire virtually any player that hits the trading market.
It's sad to see Rajon Rondo go, and we will have plenty of time to reflect on his remarkable career with Boston, but as I wrote in my piece earlier today, "As the Boston Celtics trudge towards Banner 18, let's consider that taking the road less travelled could make all the difference."