With the Celtics in full rebuilding mode, Carmelo Anthony is hoping that Boston's premier point guard Rajon Rondo can be pried away to play for a team with a better chance of contending for an NBA championship next season--the Knicks.

While the New Yok has re-signed their mercurial but explosive shooting guard J.R. Smith this offseason and tomorrow they will sign the former overall first pick from the 2006 NBA Draft, Andrea Bargnani, Carmelo Anthony thinks his team could use some more help, according to the New York Post's Marc Berman.

In an article published today, Berman says Anthony told friends he thought the Knicks would pursue a trade for Rondo, after Boston's championship roster was disassembled when Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were traded to the Brooklyn Nets. Anthony allegedly believes Rondo would be valuable to the Knicks, because the point guard would be motivated to face his former teammates in Brooklyn.

Anthony's hopes may just be a pipe dream because Boston's general manager, Danny Ainge, has no plans to trade Rondo, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News. A source told the reporter Ainge has no plans to trade his all-star guard, although he regularly fields offers from other teams expressing their interest in Rondo. Allegedly, Ainge wants to assess the 27-year-old's leadership now that Garnett and Piece are no longer with the team.

"I don't think Danny has made a single call about Rondo. He has gotten calls. But it would be wrong to say he has considered shopping him," an opposing NBA general manager told Deveney.

The source also told the Sporting News that Rondo is happy to be with the Celtics and wants to remain with the team he's played for his entire NBA career, and he's reportedly excited about taking over the reigns of the team.

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