Rajon Rondo rumors running rampant -- According to league sources, the Celtics have been actively shopping Rondo in trades. The Celtics are aiming high, reportedly trying to land players like Chris Paul or Russell Westbrook in return. News of Celtics general manager Danny Ainge dangling Rondo as trade bait shouldn't come as much of a surprise considering the same thing has been rumored in past offseasons. Rondo is a unique talent who fits the Celtics well, but Ainge obviously thinks an upgrade at the point guard position will help his Big Three win another championship. The odds of Boston landing someone like Paul or Westbrook for Rondo remains a long shot, so it's doubtful the Celtics actually deal him. Still, it would be interesting to see how well Rondo could perform if he didn't have to defer to the Big Three and was able to be more aggressive on offense.
Kyle Singler picks Spain over Motown -- Singler signed with Real Madrid for the remainder of the season, postponing his NBA debut until the 2012-13 campaign. The Pistons will still retain Singler's rights when he returns stateside, so he's effectively like any other foreign prospect who has been drafted by an NBA squad but opts to stay overseas for an additional season or two. It was doubtful the 2011 second-round pick would have had a large role with the Pistons this season, so his decision to play in Spain should actually help his development. Plus, he'll get a full offseason with extra reps in Summer League and a full training camp before playing in his first NBA game -- a luxury no NBA rookie will experience this season. Singler has Chase Budinger-type upside once he does start playing in the Association.
Nate Robinson is expected to be bought out by Thunder -- If the buy out is completed, Robinson will become an unrestricted free agent. Robinson has struggled to see consistent playing time since leaving New York during the 2009-10 season, but he was a constant double-digit scorer for the Knicks during the first four years of his career. We'll have to see where Robinson lands before declaring his return to fantasy usefulness, but the situation is worth keeping an eye on in deep leagues as the diminutive guards prepares to hit free agency.
Tayshaun Prince headed to La-La Land? -- The Clippers have reportedly reached out to Prince, who's an unrestricted free agent. While the forgone conclusion has always been that Prince would likely land with a contender, the Clippers actually make sense. Prince is from Compton, so joining the Clippers would be a return home for the gangly forward. Currently, the Clippers would be looking at Ryan Gomes or Al-Farouq Aminu as the starting small forward, but a youthful team like LA could surely use the type of veteran leadership Prince would provide. From a fantasy perspective, Prince signing with the Clippers would make him a much more appealing option than if he landed in a limited role on a talent-rich title contender.
Pistons not expected to use amnesty clause immediately -- Given the team's collection of unattractive contracts (Richard Hamilton, Charlie Villanueva, Ben Gordon), it's somewhat surprising the team won't make good on using the amnesty clause as soon as possible. Of course, Detroit will still end up cutting a bad contract eventually, but probably not before the regular season tips off. The way things are shaping up, the team will try to make some trades first beore cutting anyone loose. If the Pistons don't get rid of someone prior to the start of the season, expect plenty of confusion in the team's rotation, particularly in the backcourt.