Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets guards Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo in a 2011 matchup. (Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images)

BOSTON (CBS) – With the rumors circling that Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge is actively looking at trading point guard Rajon Rondo to try and get Chris Paul, one NBA legend thinks it would be a bad idea.

“Everyone is tradeable, you could probably get a lot for Rajon Rondo but he is the heart and soul of the team,” retired star Shaquille O’Neal told 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher and Rich. “I don’t think that would be a good idea. If I was the general manager, I wouldn’t do it.”

While Paul is a much better pure scorer than Rondo, averaging 15.9 points per game in 2011 and 18.7 for his six-year career, Shaq says he is not the true point guard that Rondo is.

“Chris Paul is not better than Rajon Rondo… Rajon Rondo is the true definition of a point guard, period,” said O’Neal. “He gets everybody involved and he scores when he has to. Chris Paul scores a lot of points, but when was the last time they made it to the playoffs? Thank you very much.”

Read: Shaq Sorry For Letting Celtics, Fans Down

The Hornets finished 46-36 last season, good for the seventh seed in the Western Conference, but fell to the LA Lakers in the first round. They have made it to the postseason three times with Paul as their point guard, advancing to the second round in 2007-08.

Rondo gave the Celtics 10.6 points, 11.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game during the 2010-11 season. He finished second in the NBA in assists behind Steve Nash, with Paul finishing fourth with 9.8 per game.

Paul is a free agent after the upcoming season, while Rondo has three years and $36 million remaining on his contract.

Listen to Shaquille O’Neal with Toucher & Rich in its entirety, including his thoughts on a potential Celtics title run in the upcoming season…