NBA Trade Rumors 2014 Update: New York Knicks Planning To Pursue Boston Celtics’ Rajon Rondo

The New York Knicks are reportedly looking to pursue Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo to pair up with Carmelo Anthony in New York.

ESPN reported that the Knicks are confident that Anthony will re-sign once he becomes a free agent next summer, knowing that another superstar is set to join him in New York.

"They're one confident bunch," an unnamed league executive told ESPN. "To listen to them, they expect to have Carmelo re-signed and have another star with him in another year. They're so sure about it you'd think they already know what will happen."

According to the report, Rondo is the Knicks' main target and they have no plans to wait for him to become a free agent in 2015, which means that New York will look to trade for the All-Star point guard before the deadline or after the current season.

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge previously said that Rondo, who is still recovering from an ACL injury, will not be on trading block this season, even if he has yet to express interest in signing a contract extension with the Celtics.

But despite the stance of Ainge and the Celtics organization, the Knicks are hopeful that Rondo will force himself out of Boston, similar to what Anthony did during his final year with the Denver Nuggets.

Anthony, who was set become a free agent back then, forced his way out of Denver and requested a trade to New York. The Knicks paid a stiff price, though, as they were forced to give up assets like Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov, Raymond Felton, and their 2014 first round pick.

The Celtics could lose Rondo without getting anything in return in the summer of 2015 and if the 27-year-old point guard forces a trade before he becomes a free agent, the Celtics have no choice but to give into his demands.

Signing Rondo via free agency is also an option for the Knicks if a trade can't happen. And if they fail to land Rondo, the Knicks will not stop pursuing a superstar partner for Anthony as they are also set to make a bid to land Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Roy Hibbert, Marc Gasol, or Tony Parker once they become free agents after the 2014-15 season.