34 replies to this topic

[Red94]

New post: Rondo chatter
By: mitchell felker

ESPN's Marc Stein has been tweeting all day that the Rockets and Celtics have begun discussions involving point guard Rajon Rondo.

Sources familiar w/Rockets' thinking say HOU has absolute interest in trading for Rajon Rondo. But that alone doesn't mean we'll see a deal

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 19, 2014

Close relationship between Danny Ainge and Daryl Morey means talks are always easy to fire up but Celts' demands for Rondo are very high

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 19, 2014

Celtics got a first for Doc Rivers and multiple firsts for Pierce/KG, as covered today on Stein Line Live. For Rondo they'll want even more

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 19, 2014

Celtics, I'm told, would insist on Chandler Parsons in a theoretical Rondo deal. And Rockets, by all accounts, NOT willing to surrender CP

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) February 19, 2014

 

[Buckko]

No way in hell.

[Knickabokkaz]

What surprises me is Lin isn't included in this trade? That's odd...

"Houston also possesses draft picks to deal and a cache of young players beyond Parsons -- such as disgruntled (and very available) big man Omer Asik along with the likes of Patrick Beverley, Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas -- to try to tempt the Celtics."

http://dlvr.it/4z0CQW

[Mitchell Felker]

Lin would become an almost full-time shooting guard is my guess. But the Lin-Beverley lineups have been quite productive when both are healthy. Update coming to the post shortly

Edited by Mitchell Felker, 19 February 2014 - 10:38 PM.

[SadLakerFan]

I haven't followed Rondo in a couple of years, but has he learned to either shoot the 3 or sink free throws? If not, then he would be a terrible addition - imagine crunch time with him and Dwight on the floor.

[John P]

I am against the Rondo trade...I think.

...but think of what he brings:
1) Championship and deep playoff experience
2) Driven to win....not coast, not take off plays, not to play only one side of the game, etc...
3) wing defense
4) similar to #2, backbone
5) ability to call out other players, who will remain nameless, who don't have a fire under their butts to play defense....

All of that being said, for Asik, Dmo or Jones and a pick...maybe....but it woudl also have to include a big man to help backup Dwight.
If you include CP...that seems like a non-starter. Not that CP is untouchable, but that is a huge change to this team and their heart that may be too much. Plus I just love the guy as a rocket

[NorEastern]

Has there ever been a better poster boy than Rondo for riding the coat tails of future HOFers? Just saying.

[Mitchell Felker]

Update posted including a Rondo shot chart from the excellent Kirk Goldsberry. 

 

A starting-5 of Rondo, Harden, Parsons, Jones and Howard would be pretty bad from the free throw stripe, unfortunately, but no 5 is perfect. 

Miami can't rebound or protect the rim. 

[NorEastern]

I much prefer this shot chart. It more adequately describes the situation.

From stats.nba.com.

[rocketrick]

Sirius XM NBA Channel 217 had great interviews this afternoon with Phil Jackson, Tommy Heinsohn and Masai Ujiri (Toronto Raptors GM).

Masai is quite happy with Kyle Lowry so I'd be very surprised if he gets dealt.

Tommy Heinsohn obviously has a lot of insight into the Boston Celtics and he believes Danny Ainge and the Celtics ownership are committed to building around Rajon Rondo----unless of course an outstanding deal falls in their lap. Rumors I've heard today are that the Celtics desire Chandler Parsons or Gordon Hayward, bigs that can play multiple positions, particularly from the wing.

I just flat out don't see the Rockets trading away Chandler Parsons (unless for a KD, LeBron James, Paul George---in other words, players that are unavailable for trade).

Phil Jackson all but said he is done with coaching although he would love the opportunity to be part of an ownership group or become a GM "if the right opportunity presents itself."

I'll have to see if I can find links to these interviews from earlier today with Mike Dunleavy. Lengthy interviews with lots of great information (although no scoop on forthcoming trades).

Edited by rocketrick, 19 February 2014 - 11:18 PM.

[rocketrick]

I also would like to add that although I like Rondo, I just don't think he's a good fit with the Rockets. He needs the ball to be effective, just as James Harden needs the ball to be effective. Trading for Rondo would only create JLin 2.0 in my opinion.

Also, Tommy Heinsohn made a great point that Rondo is best in a uptempo style offense. Although the Rockets do like to run the floor, it's pretty obvious that when the playoffs hit, the Rockets will slow it down and feed D12 or run Harden isolations. Not to mention that opposing defenses always tend to slow down uptempo offenses in the playoffs.

[Jatman20]

Not a fan of Rondo (Ray Allen's beef with Rondo dealt with selfish assists-where Rondo holds on to the ball until he gets in position to get the assist).
Teams will pack the paint in the playoffs with Rondo and with Rubio now-a-days.....can Harden do a better job as a spot up shooter? I love the idea of finally having a guy to lob passes to D12/Harden/Parsons; Harden/Parsons/Lin have done a better job lately- nice having days off between games (saw a stat where Rockets are now 11-1 when they have more than one day off between games....both Thunder games have been 2nd halves of back-to-backs) to work on their games. Typical Ainge asking for 2 first rounders; the Kings offered that & got shot down ......Rockets show interest
and he demands Parsons be included (from the article I read). IMO the most difficult GM to deal with.

[Jatman20]

Noreastern.....what year is your shot chart from? 1802 shots near the rim......couldn't be this year.

[rocketrick]

Not a fan of Rondo (Ray Allen's beef with Rondo dealt with selfish assists-where Rondo holds on to the ball until he gets in position to get the assist).
Teams will pack the paint in the playoffs with Rondo and with Rubio now-a-days.....can Harden do a better job as a spot up shooter? I love the idea of finally having a guy to lob passes to D12/Harden/Parsons; Harden/Parsons/Lin have done a better job lately- nice having days off between games (saw a stat where Rockets are now 11-1 when they have more than one day off between games....both Thunder games have been 2nd halves of back-to-backs) to work on their games. Typical Ainge asking for 2 first rounders; the Kings offered that & got shot down ......Rockets show interest
and he demands Parsons be included (from the article I read). IMO the most difficult GM to deal with.

The word I heard is that Rondo was emphatic about not being willing to re-sign with the Kings. I believe I heard someone say the same comment from Rondo in regards to possibly being traded to Toronto, that no way he would re-sign there, either. Seems pretty clear to me that unless Ainge and the Celtics can find a team willing to pay the steep price AND that Rondo would be willing to re-sign with, that moving Rondo is just a pipe dream.

[NorEastern]

Jatman
You are completely correct. My total and absolute bad. I cannot apologize enough. That is the shot chart for the Celtics team. Here is Rondo's chart from this season.

Again, my apologies.

[Incubus2803]

Rondo is nothing like Rubio.  Rubio cant finish at the rim, and cant shoot from anywhere.  Rondo has spots where he can be deadly. 

 

And it wasn't Rondo's selfish assists that caused the Ray Allen beef, it was that Rondo had to stand 30 feet away from the basket and pound the ball while Allen ran off multiple screens to get open.  Rondo wants to poke and prod a defense and break it down, not stand still. 

 

I love Rondo, but he does need the ball to meet his potential value.  Harden's role would change some, but Paul Pierce was a ball-dominant guy and that worked fine.  Im not 100% in favor of this deal, but if it didn't cost an arm and a leg, I'd get pumped about it. 

[dbd]

Morey will do Parsons+*=Rondo+* trade. Dork Elvis has no emotion. He ain't a chemistry guy. He just love numbers.

I don't like Rondo. Don't ask my why. I don't know why I didn't like him. And I love Parsons.

 

One thing I can agree is Rondo is a best player in his position but Parsons has too many great/good SF ahead of him.

[thejohnnygold]

It is certainly a giant question mark.  My opinion is Rondo would work well with this roster and would be a nice upgrade at the point (presuming he is fully healthy and hasn't lost a step due to the injury).

 

Regarding the playoff concerns--according to basketball-reference.com Rondo has another gear for the playoffs.  His numbers improve across the board for every season.  The argument that he was surrounded with talent is moot since he will be surrounded with talent here.

 

I don't know if giving up Parsons is worth it.  The thought of him playing elsewhere is strange.

[Sir Thursday]

It is certainly a giant question mark.  My opinion is Rondo would work well with this roster and would be a nice upgrade at the point (presuming he is fully healthy and hasn't lost a step due to the injury).

 

Regarding the playoff concerns--according to basketball-reference.com Rondo has another gear for the playoffs.  His numbers improve across the board for every season.  The argument that he was surrounded with talent is moot since he will be surrounded with talent here.

 

I don't know if giving up Parsons is worth it.  The thought of him playing elsewhere is strange.

 

Yeah, the idea that Rondo was carried by the other guys on the Celtics is absurd, at least in the last few years. Here are his stat-lines from the 2011 conference finals against Miami:

 

Game 1: 16 points (8-20 FG), 9 rebounds, 7 assists

Game 2: 44 points (16-24 FG), 8 rebounds, 10 assists

Game 3: 21 points (9-16 FG), 6 rebounds, 10 assists

Game 4: 15 points (7-14 FG), 5 rebounds, 15 assists

Game 5: 7 points (3-15 FG),  6 rebounds, 13 assists, 4 steals

Game 6: 21 points (8-14 FG), 4 rebounds, 10 assists

Game 7: 22 points (10-22 FG), 10 rebounds, 11 assists

 

Those are not the numbers of someone along for the ride. When the bright lights turn on, Rondo is a fantastic player. He has consistency issues particularly in games that are not 'important' (there's a reason people kept talking about 'Primetime Rondo' and 'Regular Season Rondo' like they were different players back then), but in a playoff scenario he would definitely be an asset to the team.

 

I think this trade is highly unlikely, so I'm going to wimp out of deciding whether or not it's a good idea. But Rondo deserves to have high trade value for the performances he has put in in the past and I think his supposed weaknesses are minor issues in comparison to his very real strengths.

 

ST

[08huangj]

Not a fan of Rondo (Ray Allen's beef with Rondo dealt with selfish assists-where Rondo holds on to the ball until he gets in position to get the assist).
Teams will pack the paint in the playoffs with Rondo and with Rubio now-a-days.....can Harden do a better job as a spot up shooter? I love the idea of finally having a guy to lob passes to D12/Harden/Parsons; Harden/Parsons/Lin have done a better job lately- nice having days off between games (saw a stat where Rockets are now 11-1 when they have more than one day off between games....both Thunder games have been 2nd halves of back-to-backs) to work on their games. Typical Ainge asking for 2 first rounders; the Kings offered that & got shot down ......Rockets show interest
and he demands Parsons be included (from the article I read). IMO the most difficult GM to deal with.

Isiah Thomas is not going to fit will with Rondo.

Edited by 08huangj, 20 February 2014 - 12:40 AM.