Advertisement

Celtics Trade Rajon Rondo To The Mavericks

03:37
Download Audio
Resume
Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo (9) drives past Detroit Pistons' Brandon Jennings (7) in the first quarter.  (AP/Michael Dwyer)
Boston Celtics' Rajon Rondo (9) drives past Detroit Pistons' Brandon Jennings (7) in the first quarter. (AP/Michael Dwyer)

The Rajon Rondo era in Boston is over. The Celtics have traded the 28-year-old point guard to the Dallas Mavericks, the team announced Thursday night.

The deal will send Rondo and and rookie forward Dwight Powell to the Mavs in exchange for guards Jameer Nelson and Jae Crowder, forward Brandan Wright, a 2015 first-round pick and a 2016 second-round pick. The C's will also get a $12.9 million trade exception.

“We would not have won Banner 17 without Rajon and will always consider him one of our most valuable Celtics, both on the court and in the community working with kids. We will always cherish the time he was here,” Celtics managing partners Wyc Grousbeck, Irv Grousbeck, Steve Pagliuca and Robert Epstein said in a joint statement.

Rondo is currently leading the league in assists with 10.8 per game. The four-time All-Star is also averaging 8.3 points and 7.5 rebounds this season.

Rondo was the only member of the 2007-08 championship team still on Boston's roster. He was in just his second season when the team won the title behind the leadership of the "new Big Three" of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

Last season, after returning from a knee injury and surgery in January, the Celtics named Rondo the 15th captain in team history, an honor that was left vacant when Pierce became a member of the Brooklyn Nets.

The Mavericks won the only NBA title in franchise history in 2011. Dallas power foward Dirk Nowitzki is 36 and center Tyson Chandler is 32, adding to the sense that the team's window for another championship may be closing. The addition of Rondo gives the Mavs an impressive back court, in which he'll be paired with guard Monta Ellis, one of the NBA's most dynamic scorers. Ellis averaging more than 20 points per game this season.

The Mavericks are 19-8 on the season, which is only good for third-place in the Southwest Division in the highly competitive Western Conference. The Celtics are 9-14.

This segment aired on December 19, 2014.

Headshot of Doug Tribou

Doug Tribou Reporter/Producer
Doug Tribou was formerly a reporter and producer at WBUR and for WBUR's Only A Game.

More…

Advertisement

More from WBUR

Listen Live
Close