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Trade Deadline: Contenders Deal For Point Guards At Their Own Risk

By Phil Watson

Jan 2, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Rajon Rondo (9) looks for an opening around Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) during the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Rajon Rondo (9) looks for an opening around Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) during the first quarter at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 22, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Rajon Rondo (left) talks with head coach Rick Carlisle in the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Mavericks 98-92. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 22, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Rajon Rondo (left) talks with head coach Rick Carlisle in the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. The Suns defeated the Mavericks 98-92. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The Deal: Mavericks Ride With Rondo

Dallas Mavericks Get: Rajon Rondo, Dwight Powell
Boston Celtics Get: Jameer Nelson, Jae Crowder, Brandan Wright, 2015 first-round pick, 2016 second-round pick, $13 million trade exception

The Dallas Mavericks were off to a hot start in 2014-15, rolling along with an NBA-best 116.8 Offensive Rating and a 19-8 record when on Dec. 18, 2014, they acquired four-time All-Star Rajon Rondo from the Boston Celtics.

To say the trade didn’t work out well for either side would be an enormous understatement.

Dallas played to a 107.0 Offensive Rating after acquiring Rondo, whose ball-dominant ways never meshed with coach Rick Carlisle’s offensive system.

Related Story: 25 Best Players to Play for the Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks were 31-24 the rest of the way and were bounced out of the playoffs in five short games by the Houston Rockets, with the added bonus of Rondo being sent home after Game 2 of the first-round series with what was called a “back injury.”

It was much more a case of Carlisle wanting to relieve what had turned out to be a five-month long pain in the neck.

Rondo’s numbers before and after the trade were similar, with the notable exception of his assists per game average, which plummeted from 10.8 in 22 games with the Celtics to just 6.5 in his 46 regular-season games for Dallas.

Next: Bucks, Suns, Heat All Lose