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| Rudy Fernandez |
Danny Ainge, Boston Celtics president for basketball operations, is currently working out his options to seal a deal that will land them a player that suits the squad's defensive needs, after Tony Allen agreed to a three-year $9.5-million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies as a free agent.
“We’re just continuing to explore available players and trade possibilities and see what sort of options are there,’’ said the Celtics president, as quoted by The Boston Globe. “There are some trade discussions that we’re having. I don’t know the likelihood of those happening, but we’ll continue to not rush into something unless it’s something that we’re really excited about.’’
Fernandez, who’s currently playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, was meted a $25,000 fine by the NBA recently for publicly demanding to be traded to another team. The 6-foot-6, 25-year old guard, who was the 24th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Rookie Draft, also said that he’ll opt to sit out the next two years of his contract for him to be able to return to Europe, instead of playing for Portland.
Fernandez, who is also said to be gaining interest from the New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls, has been visibly upset by the lack of playing time he’s getting, even during the absence of the team’s go-to-guy Brandon Roy.
“With a $1.25 million salary, Fernandez would be a bargain. He averaged 10.5 points and shot 40 percent from 3-point range as a rookie two years ago, but his playing time fell off last season, and with Portland’s recent addition of Wesley Matthews, the backcourt is getting crowded,” says The Boston Globe's report.
The Celtics had shuffled its lineup this off-season by freeing Allen and signing All-Stars Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal, both of whom have previously played alongside Dwyane Wade with the Miami Heat.
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