Boston Celtics are aggressively trying to shop Rajon Rondo

[RazorBaLade]

I didn't like how they started to play with Rondo back after the wrist injury, I thought they were absolutely brilliant with Pierce running the show, only thing that Pierce won't last for long. With Rondo everybody else do not work for their shots as much, they stand and wait for the majority of a shotclock. Pierce being primary ball handler made everybody energetic and fightning for their own time on court. With Rondo, everybody just expects him to do part of their job.

On the other hand, I love Rondo for being a character, and I wish all the best for him. It would be sad if this really cannot work between him and Pierce. But I respect Rondo for not backing down, for having his own stance and everything. In this case I see throwing tantrums more of an asset, as opposed to losing-happy good guy attitude.

it sounds like you guys could really use Gasol at that C spot

[Rowe]

Whether this is true, or not, I firmly believe that Ainge doesn't have a clue. He fell backwards into The Big Three by doing a backroom deal with his buddy McHale. Since then, strictly mediocre results and hints of incompetence.

The Celtics will look like crap three years from now if Ainge is still running the team.

Agreed 100%.

Unfortunately history will paint him as some "smart GM" who brought the Celtics to a NBA Championship and a Finals appearance.

What will be overlooked is that his management decisions were absolutely terrible. Had he not walked into the Big 3, he'd be working for NBA TV right now.

This is a man who admitted last month that he questioned Auerbach for not trading Larry Bird & Kevin McHale in 88'.

[All Net]

Why are they trying to shop one of their few good young talents?

[RazorBaLade]

Why are they trying to shop one of their few good young talents?

This is pure speculation from a laker fan here but I think I know.

When you have a player that really is quite good, but that isn't the best guy on your team but has a GLARING, ever present weakness that you can easily , rightfully blame for your losses fans and management get pissed. I said I'm a laker fan because this is what we do with Gasol. We don't care that hes amazing, unselfish, etc etc, but when you lose and you see a guys weakness, night in and night out, it gets so annoying.. In gasols case, his freaking annoying softness... It affects you. You hone in one that area of weakness, that softness or that lack of a jumper and you stop caring about the good parts.

I really believe thats what people there have with Rondo. He just cannot shoot, it must be infuriating to watch for a multi year stretch of losing.... I don't believe theres any fan out there that thinks if rondo could shoot like a decent NBA player that they'd be sitting on multiple rings and still contending. Might be time for a change..

[Rowe]

Why are they trying to shop one of their few good young talents?

Ainge wants to prove how smart he is.

You've got a locker room environment in which the players/Doc consider it a "family" and hes in the media talking about making trades if he gets the right deal.

In the past 2 days you get reports about the Celtics actively shopping Pierce & Rondo. In all honesty, Ainge is an absolute moron.

[wally_world]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7rvln3z

Nash / Bradley
Ray Allen / Pietrus
Pierce / Hill
KG / Bass
Lopez / Wilcox

Could possibly add Shannon Brown in the deal for someone in return, since he's not happy in Phoenix. Gives Nash and the vets one last run at a ring while giving the Suns some security for the future. Rondo/Gortat will be a nice core to start building around.

If you find Boston is shortchanging Phoenix, Bass/Wilcox can go in there for one of the Sun's bad contracts too (Childress/Warrick/Frye)

[RazorBaLade]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7rvln3z

Nash / Bradley
Ray Allen / Pietrus
Pierce / Hill
KG / Bass
Lopez / Wilcox

Could possibly add Shannon Brown in the deal for someone in return, since he's not happy in Phoenix. Gives Nash and the vets one last run at a ring while giving the Suns some security for the future. Rondo/Gortat will be a nice core to start building around.

If you find Boston is shortchanging Phoenix, Bass/Wilcox can go in there for one of the Sun's bad contracts too (Childress/Warrick/Frye)

goddamn thats a good deal for both teams. damn.

[sipitri]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7rvln3z

Nash / Bradley
Ray Allen / Pietrus
Pierce / Hill
KG / Bass
Lopez / Wilcox

Could possibly add Shannon Brown in the deal for someone in return, since he's not happy in Phoenix. Gives Nash and the vets one last run at a ring while giving the Suns some security for the future. Rondo/Gortat will be a nice core to start building around.

If you find Boston is shortchanging Phoenix, Bass/Wilcox can go in there for one of the Sun's bad contracts too (Childress/Warrick/Frye)

I was thinking about something along those lines too.
This or even Jameer + Howard. (if it could work contracts wise)

[Rowe]

This is pure speculation from a laker fan here but I think I know.

When you have a player that really is quite good, but that isn't the best guy on your team but has a GLARING, ever present weakness that you can easily , rightfully blame for your losses fans and management get pissed. I said I'm a laker fan because this is what we do with Gasol. We don't care that hes amazing, unselfish, etc etc, but when you lose and you see a guys weakness, night in and night out, it gets so annoying.. In gasols case, his freaking annoying softness... It affects you. You hone in one that area of weakness, that softness or that lack of a jumper and you stop caring about the good parts.

I really believe thats what people there have with Rondo. He just cannot shoot, it must be infuriating to watch for a multi year stretch of losing....I don't believe theres any fan out there that thinks if rondo could shoot like a decent NBA player that they'd be sitting on multiple rings and still contending. Might be time for a change..

Its not about the ability to "shoot", its the fact that Rondo is not capable of being a go-to scoring option when Pierce can't do it. Pierce is slow and nearly 35, Ray Allen isn't the same 25 PPG scorer he once was, and Kevin Garnett lost his edge several years ago.

Rondo's a throwback to old school NBA PG's with the way he sets the tempo, puts guys in position to score, makes plays and then hustles back on defense. He plays as if he didnt grow up on the 3PT line being in existence. He doesn't utilize the 3PT shot because he shoots an efficient number for his mid-range jumpers, which used to be the gold standard in the 80's. Hes far improved from the guy Kobe was giving 5 feet to in the NBA Finals from 18 feet out. He can make that shot with far more consistency at this point.

With the way he excels on the Pick & Roll, I really think Boston is underestimating the impact he can have elsewhere. You put him in Utah with 2 good starting big men in Millsap and Jefferson and he could put up better numbers than hes averaging now. In fact I think it hurts him from 1 standpoint of having to look for Pierce or Allen on the perimeter because they do command the ball. Give him an offense to run with full control and that team will be very successful.

[Rowe]

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7rvln3z

Nash / Bradley
Ray Allen / Pietrus
Pierce / Hill
KG / Bass
Lopez / Wilcox

Could possibly add Shannon Brown in the deal for someone in return, since he's not happy in Phoenix. Gives Nash and the vets one last run at a ring while giving the Suns some security for the future. Rondo/Gortat will be a nice core to start building around.

If you find Boston is shortchanging Phoenix, Bass/Wilcox can go in there for one of the Sun's bad contracts too (Childress/Warrick/Frye)

If you're making one last run for a ring, then you shouldn't move any of your core players. You keep an eye on the waiver wire for some mid-season additions due to buyouts and hope chemistry mixes in with persistence in the Playoffs. Every move being mentioned with Boston as far as trades are concerned has the word "Rebuild" in mind.

[iamgine]

Agreed 100%.

Unfortunately history will paint him as some "smart GM" who brought the Celtics to a NBA Championship and a Finals appearance.

What will be overlooked is that his management decisions were absolutely terrible. Had he not walked into the Big 3, he'd be working for NBA TV right now.

This is a man who admitted last month that he questioned Auerbach for not trading Larry Bird & Kevin McHale in 88'.

Eh, what's wrong with that? IIRC Larry and Mchale was going downhill fast and the trade offer was pretty good at the time. Or is it one of those "we don't ever trade Larry and Mchale unless they asked because they've been so good to our franchise" thing?

[Rowe]

Eh, what's wrong with that? IIRC Larry and Mchale was going downhill fast and the trade offer was pretty good at the time. Or is it one of those "we don't ever trade Larry and Mchale unless they asked because they've been so good to our franchise" thing?

Its the principle of it all.

Larry Bird recently acknowledged he would've retired in 88' had Len Bias not OD'd, and the fact he kept playing for the sheer purpose of keeping the Celtics dynasty from falling apart at the expense of his back. Kevin McHale played through a foot injury that he apparently is still dealing with today in order to help the Celtics stay in the hunt.

When speaking of loyalty and team players, it doesn't get any better than Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. Both deals Ainge mentioned Auerbach could've made in 1988 would've made no sense whatsoever for Boston. How the hell does Chuck Person replace Larry Bird? The closest comparison to that would be like the Lakers trading Kobe Bryant this summer for Demar DeRozan. More specifically, how do you put Chuck Person and Reggie Lewis on the same team when they were the same damn player.

You just dont ever make those trades and neither would've asked for them.

In 1988 nobody envisioned that Boston wouldn't get back to a NBA Finals, espescially since they had proven historically that they always knew how to get back on top.

[JGXEN]

What about this?



Rondo is essentially what the Jazz have been searching for to run that offense and get them to the Playoffs.

Take raja bell and devin haris out and put Favors or Millsap in. Maybe put price in just to balance out the trade

[JohnnySic]

When speaking of loyalty and team players, it doesn't get any better than Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. Both deals Ainge mentioned Auerbach could've made in 1988 would've made no sense whatsoever for Boston. How the hell does Chuck Person replace Larry Bird? The closest comparison to that would be like the Lakers trading Kobe Bryant this summer for Demar DeRozan. More specifically, how do you put Chuck Person and Reggie Lewis on the same team when they were the same damn player.

Haha, obviously you dont know what you're talking about.

Auerback should have made both the Bird and Mchale trades, but he got cold feet. "Celtics Pride" meant something in those days, and Bird and McHale wanted to retire as Celtics for the sake of their legacy. The C's could have had Person, Smits, Schrempf, and Perkins, to go along with Lewis, Shaw, Radja, Brown, Douglas, Fox, etc, and would have stayed competitive well into the 90's. How is that worse than what happened?

And Person and Lewis were not even close to the same player. Person was a chucker, almost a pre-Antoine Walker without the passing. Lewis was like a more athletic Joe Johnson with Battier's defense plus leadreship skills.

[Harison]

Elaborate...

Celtics need to trade Rondo, IMO.

Because Rondo is clearly better than Curry.

I agree with Rondo trade, but move should make team better, not worse.