Josh Smith, who shares many things in common with Rajon Rondo (among them a high school alma mater, a curiously broken jump shot, a tendency to be mentioned in trade rumors, and some level of involvement in a Lowell nightclub incident last month), defended Rondo upon hearing that his friend is on the trading block. (NBA.com)

“Rajon didn’t talk much about it but let me do it for him,” Smith said. “It’s mind-boggling to me to see people talking about getting rid of a player who damn-near broke his arm during the playoffs last year for his team and kept playing. We’re talking about arguably the best player in the playoffs for his team energy-wise, defensively and offensively. It’s a sick joke. For anyone to talk about getting rid of him, one of the elite point guards in this league and a true point who passes first and shoots second … it just reminds me of what I already knew, that the NBA is strictly a business. They can try to make it as family oriented as they want to, but at the end of the day it’s a business. And the fact is there is no loyalty in the NBA or any other profession. It’s always business.”

That’s a pretty thorough defense of Rondo, though I would also add that he’s also one of the league’s best bargains. But here’s the counter: Chris Paul’s a better basketball player. He just is. I’m not going to sit here and tell you the Celtics would have won three of the past four championships if Paul had been here instead of Rondo. Nobody could really predict that. But Paul would have given them a better chance. He’s not as flawed. Teams can’t sag off him into the paint. He’s similarly talented in most areas of basketball, but he’s a much better shooter and turns over the ball far less often.

Those are the facts. That’s why Danny Ainge would trade Rondo for Paul. There are still Paul’s injury concerns and the difference in contracts, which are elements to take into consideration. But it’s not like Ainge is trying to trade Rondo for Mike Conley or something. Chris Paul is the league’s best point guard.

So it might all have been Josh Smith’s fault? Somewhere, Mike Woodson nods knowingly.

A Yahoo! report from yesterday indicated that the Boston Celtics are on Josh Smith’s short list of preferred trade destinations. But the Celtics and Hawks have reportedly not discussed any potential deal, nor do the two teams plan to in the near future. (CSNNE)

A league source told CSNNE.com on Monday night that the Celtics have had “no discussions whatsoever” with the Atlanta Hawks about acquiring Smith. The same source added there were no plans to open up such dialogue any time in the near future.

“You can never say never,” the source said, “but there’s nothing going on there.”

Though the trade seems unlikely at best, A. Sherrod Blakely mentions Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen as potential trade bait. The Yahoo! report mentioned that the Hawks would look for veteran players near the end of their contracts and that Hawks GM Rick Sund covets both Garnett and Allen. Even so, trading either player would constitute a very bold move from Danny Ainge (who, of course, does not fear making bold moves).

Smith has not requested a trade yet, but the Hawks could look to cut payroll. Smith would presumably attract more suitors than Joe Johnson (and Joe Johnson’s outrageous contract) on the trading block.

The Atlanta Hawks have begun testing what they could acquire for Josh Smith on the trade market, and the pogo-stick forward reportedly would not mind a change of scenery. One of the teams on his short list of preferred trade destinations? The Boston Celtics. (Yahoo! Sports)

The Atlanta Hawks have started to gauge trade interest on forward Josh Smith, and Smith isn’t averse to ending his seven-year stay with his hometown team, league sources told Yahoo! Sports on Monday.

Smith hasn’t requested a trade, but has privately told league friends that the Boston Celtics, New Jersey Nets, Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic are his preferred destinations should the Hawks decide to move him.

“The relationship has run its course,” said a league source with knowledge of the dynamic. …

The Hawks have looked to identify veteran players near the end of their contracts, sources said, but have had no serious discussions on trading Smith.

“They’re looking for a change,” one Eastern Conference executive said. “They would die to be rid of Joe Johnson’s contract or move Smith, but they won’t give [Smith] away. They want something in return.” Read more »

Happy New Year’s, Serge Ibaka.

The Morning Walkthrough is a set of links to Boston Celtics articles throughout the internet, designed to get your day started the right way.

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “‘We came into the game with a completely different mind-set,’ Rivers said. ‘Before the game I don’t even think I said the word ‘offense’. Our defensive disposition from the start was terrific. I felt that we were going to compete defensively, but the big question is, can we do this every night? We’re a veteran team and sometimes it seems like we’re counting how many games we have until the playoffs.’ Whether they can do it every night, Pierce said, shouldn’t depend on how angry they are. ‘That’s the way we should be every night,’ he said. ‘We shouldn’t ever have to use the losses to get us up for these teams. We should play like that every night and we’ll put together a great season if we do.’” Read more »