NBA Trade Rumors: Boston Celtics Shopping Rookie Fab Melo
By Josh Hill
The Boston Celtics have said they’re not planning on blowing their team up in a trade, but even if they’ve denied being active it turns out they actually are. Point guard Rajon Rondo has reportedly been told he’s safe and will not be traded in a deal to get Josh Smith from Atlanta, but the same can not be said for Fab Melo, Boston’s rookie center from Syracuse.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics have made Fab Melo available in an effort to strike a deal that gets them the guard they so desperately want.
In pursuit of guard help, the Celtics have made rookie center Fab Melo available in trade offers, league sources tell Y! Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 20, 2013
Melo would have to be part of a package as his $1.25 million rookie salary this season isn’t enough to balance out trading for a guy who’s making a lot more than he is. But Melo hasn’t been getting regular minutes in the Celtics rotation despite being one of their only healthy players, so trading him isn’t going to be hard for the Celtics to do.
The Hawks have ben looking for a center in any trade for Josh Smith but Melo likely isn’t going cut it as the centerpiece of a trade. But Melo has the tools to become one of the more solid centers in the NBA down the road, so he does retain some serious value just based off his potential. If the Celtics can find the right trade Melo will be on the move but they’re not looking to just dump him in any trade that comes along.