20 worst NBA Draft trades ever
By John Buhler
8. Rajon Rondo from Phoenix Suns to Boston Celtics
There is no team in the NBA that has done a better job historically of taking advantage of inferior teams with draft day trades than the Boston Celtics. Boston has pulled off some of the most iconic draft day trades of all time and the Rajon Rondo trade with the Phoenix Suns is the first of many on this slideshow.
Rajon Rondo starred for the Kentucky Wildcats before declaring for the 2006 NBA Draft. He was selected by the Phoenix Suns’ No. 25 overall, but was traded soon after to the Celtics for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first round pick in 2007 and future cash considerations.
Rondo quickly became a huge reason behind the Celtics’ 2008 NBA Championship and was arguably the best player on Doc Rivers’ 2010 team that lost to the arch rival Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals.
He went on to make four All-Star teams with the Celtics before spending the last two years with the Mavericks and the Sacramento Kings. Phoenix surely would have loved to have had a point guard with Rondo’s great instincts as a pass-first point guard. While he isn’t a Steve Nash, in his prime Rondo was better than Goran Dragic ever was for the Suns.
Next: 7. Kawhi Leonard from Indiana Pacers to San Antonio Spurs.