Rajon Rondo returns, and the NBA trade rumor mill is resurrected. Teams are expected to take a closer look at his condition, and contenders may increase their offer. The Houston Rockets are one of them.

From the Yahoo Sports Contributor Network, this was floated as a rumor, but no other site confirms whether or not there was an actual offer:

"Earlier in the season, Houston allegedly set a deadline to move Omer Asik but never pulled the trigger. Similar to Will Hunting's job search, I think Morey was holding out for something better; Rondo might be that something.

What Boston would command from the Rockets would likely revolve around picks and young talent, but would also include Omer Asik and/or Jeremy Lin. The most possibles scenario is this one:

Houston Gets: Rondo and Brandon Bass 
Boston Gets: Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin and Houston's 2014 first-round pick"

It is difficult to determine what goes on inside the NBA front office. There are no wiretaps on the GMs'  phones.  However, even on a hypothetical level, it's highly unlikely.

Asik and Lin have similar contracts that were designed to pry them away from their mother teams (Chicago and New York respectively) and it is the same reason they could not find a team who'll take them. They lose all cap flexibility, and Ainge is not so big on Jeremy Lin. The added first rounder will be at the twenties, but the Celtics want a top five pick.

Perhaps the only way the Celtics agree to trade Rondo is when the receiving team is willing to take on Gerald Wallace's contract. However, the C's have made Rondo their team captain, which sends the signal that they will probably not trade him or that the offer must be huge.

From ESPN, Boston GM Danny Ainge confirms they still have trades to work out: "We have a long way to go. There's a lot of good positive things that are happening with our team and a lot of good development with a lot of our young guys. We have some good veteran guys who have set great examples, hard-workers for our young guys. And I feel like we're figuring out who we want on the bus." 

But ESPN Boston writer Chris Forsberg is quick to add: "Well, Rondo's driving the bus. Now the Celtics have got to decide which passengers are getting booted by Feb. 20 (that'll depend on what the rest of the league is willing to give up) and tougher decisions loom this summer when someone like Avery Bradley enters restricted free agency."

For Houston Rockets fans, the three wishes have been granted(Harden, Lin/Asik, Howard). Rondo is out of your reach now and maybe the championship as well.