Here's the short and skinny: a rumor involving the Celtics has been picking up steam so it's time we got on here and addressed it. It's being suggested that the C's and Phoenix Suns could be mulling over a deal that would result in the Celts acquiring Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa and the Suns' 14th overall pick for Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo.

My initial thought: Initially taken aback, but ultimately, very intrigued.

First, the negatives: Both Rondo and Allen have become staples of the starting five. Rondo has blossomed into one of the premier point guards in the East, and Ray is... well, he is what he is at this point — a sniper from beyond the arc with perhaps the sweetest jump shot in the entire league and decent defensive abilities. It would be sad to see him go after just two years, but the real question here is clearly Rondo.

At just 23, Rondo is still developing his game. He made monumental strides this season on both ends — especially in the rebounding and assist departments — and should he develop a better shot soon, he'll easily be a top-5 PG in the league. But does the promise of nabbing two players presumably entering their prime, as well as a top-15 pick in the draft, outweigh the possible potential for growth in Rondo's game?

In my humble opinion, it does. Allen's contract is up after next year, and at the same time, Rondo is slated to become a restricted free agent. Paul Pierce needs to be re-signed in 2010-11, so the money simply won't be there for all three. On the flip side, the last year of Stoudemire's deal is 2010-11, and Barbosa is locked up through 2011-12, for which he holds a player option.

Now, the numbers: From the forward and center positions, Stoudemire has a career per-game average of 21.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.47 blocks, .541 FG% and .76 FT%. Guard Barbosa has racked up career averages of 12.9 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, .471 FG%, .404 3PT%, .824 FT%. And depending on who's still around at No. 14, the Celts could find their point guard or center of the future.

Bottom line here is you'd be giving up a past-his prime All-Star (Allen) and a possible star-in-the-making (Rondo) for a four-time All-Star (Stoudemire), a SG who could presumably score like Ray Ray alongside Pierce and Garnett (Barbosa), and a pick that could help solidify the starting five for years. Lost in the shuffle is what would happen with Kendrick Perkins; it would be my guess that he'd be relegated to the bench in favor of Stoudemire at the 5 (Imagine a 3-4-5 of Pierce, Garnett and Stoudemire...) with Barbosa at the 2 and a free agent pickup — perhaps a matinee for Marbury — at the point. Whether or not you believe Rondo is the next great PG in the league, that's a pretty exciting prospect for Celts fans.