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Last week we heard the crazy rumor out of Phoinex that the Celtics were considering shipping Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen to acquire Amare Stoudamare, Leanardo Barbosa, and a lottery pick.  Most of us considered it to pure speculation.  Rondo isn’t going anywhere unless Danny Ainge is absolutely overwhelmed with a offer he can’t refuse. Not only that, but wouldn’t it make sense to hold onto a guy like Allen to give the big three another run at a championship?  Apparently Ray Ray isn’t as safe as we may of thought.

Rumors continue to circulate about him possibly being traded considering he is in his last year of a contract.  With all the success Allen had in the playoffs you would think it would be tough for Ainge to deal him away, especially with Kevin Garnett coming back healthy next season. They could really do some damage much like they did in 2008.  Considering Allen may not be around after next season, we are going to see his name coming up a lot in trade rumors.  The latest has us possibly being interested in the #2 pick. This is according to Memphis Commercial-Appeal:

Meanwhile, the Griz still are entertaining offers for the No. 2 pick as well as their 27th and 36th selections.

As the rumor mill churns, the Griz have been approached by several teams about acquiring the second overall pick. Boston, Houston and New York are said to be among the most recent suitors.

Boston and Houston would likely have to offer an established NBA player or two, given that neither team owns a first-round pick. New York owns the eighth pick and likely would want to move up for the opportunity to take Rubio.

We all know Ainge has a history of falling in love with certain guys in the draft. He did it with Rondo and that turned out well to say the least. So who is Ainge all giddy about this year? According to Chad Ford it’s Tyreke Evans. Here’s that and some other trade rumors Ford has been hearing around the NBA. Take them for what they are worth. Just remember that Ainge loves the draft. He loves being involved and it may just be too painful for him to sit back and watch some of his highly scouted prospects run off to other teams.

While the Celtics have shot down a rumor that they were talking to the Suns about an Amare Stoudemire for Rajon Rondo swap … we keep hearing their name more and more in conjunction with a top-to-mid first-round draft pick — a sign that Danny Ainge must see someone he likes up high.

While various sources have different players pegged, there seems to be some consensus that one player in particular — Memphis’ Tyreke Evans — is an Ainge favorite.

If the Celtics are going to get Evans, they’ll have to get somewhere in the top 10, most likely the top five.

The Grizzlies, Thunder and Wizards all have picks in the top five and have been open to swapping their picks. While it’s doubtful that Rondo is their bait, Ray Allen and his expiring contract could be.

The Celtics could trade Allen to Memphis for a combination of Darko Milicic, Greg Buckner and Marko Jaric. That could save the Grizzlies a little money now and a lot of money next year … but that seems like a stretch. The Grizzlies don’t need Allen and I’m sure he wouldn’t be thrilled to play there.

The Thunder aren’t great partners either. They don’t really have any bad contracts and while Allen would give them a nice veteran perimeter presence, they’re not giving up the No. 3 pick in the draft to get him.

The Kings have also reached out to the Celtics and would be willing to deal the No. 4 pick if they could get Rondo in return. The Celtics would likely want more than just the No. 4 pick for Rondo — and the Kings might be willing to throw in either Jason Thompson or Spencer Hawes to make it happen.

That leaves the Wizards, who are really intriguing. Allen is a fit in Washington. The Wizards are a veteran team that is looking for another piece to make it a contender. Allen also is in the last year of his contract, which means the Wizards could get some long-term cap relief if they put together the right deal. Would trading Allen for Etan Thomas, Mike James, Darius Songaila and the No. 5 pick make sense for the Wizards and Celtics?

If Boston can’t find a workable deal in the top five, several other teams including the Nets (11), Pistons (15), Bulls (16, 26), Wolves (18), Kings (23) and Grizzlies (27) are open to moving their picks. While those wouldn’t be high enough to land Evans, it would get the Celtics a solid pick in the first.