Ainge offered Rondo for D.Harris

[Al-Haqq]

Just an FYI:

http://www.netsdaily.com/?p=8853


Did Celtics Offer Rondo for Harris?
October 5, 2009, 11:08 am

ESPN’s Chris Sheridan reports Rod Thorn had an interesting offer from Danny Ainge this sumer. Ainge admits discussing “possible [Rajon] Rondo trades with other teams early in the offseason,” Sheridan writes. “One proposal that was floated but never gained traction was a multiplayer deal that would have included Devin Harris”. Harris’ contract runs til 2013. Rondo will be a restricted free agent in 2010.

[Zin5]

Harris is the better player, but Rondo's still probably the better fit with this team right now. Harris is every bit the defender Rondo is and would be the better player going forward, but you don't need everything Harris brings when you already have 2-3 great offensive weapons playing with your point at any time. Rondo's probably better at deferring the ball in the offense at least. Could never see New Jersey being interested though. Harris' contract is a steal and an ideal fit for Lebron as a potential suitor.

[sunshinekids99]

It does not say that he offered Rondo for Harris. It says a multiplayer deal that included Harris. Who knows what the offer was that was out there. Also who knows if it is a legit story.

[GuyClinch]

^^^ Denial. That would have been a good deal for the C's actually. The other players would have been just guys to make the salaries match obviously..

[Kefa461]

The header should be changed because it is try to be sensational and misleading and the story never says that........

[BRUNiNHO91]

It was probably something like..Rondo+Ray for Harris+Carter...I don't see why Boston would want to trade Rondo straight up for Harris..Rondo is BY far the better fit here with the Big 3...and Jersey would never do this, since they got Harris locked up til 2013(correct me if I'm wrong)..meanwhile Rondo is a free agent next year...I think there's more to it, than Rondo and Harris..

[Dogen]

Both are good young PG's. Harris is better shooter/finisher and Rondo has better rebounding/intangibles. I think give the nod to Harris, though, just because teams couldn't sag off him like they do (did?) Rondo. A finishing 5 of Harris/Ray/Pierce/Sheed/KG--- how do you stop that team from scoring?

[sully00]

I wouldn't read to much into it, until you find out who the other players were. They are different players but overall it is probably a push there is certainly a post big 3 upside to a guy like Harris that Rondo hasn't shown.

This probably spun out of the Big Baby talks were Ainge probably asked for Courtney Lee and they said if you include Rondo and Ainge came back as long as you give us Harris and they laughed and went on to the 15th hole.

Again I said it in the other thread if Rondo is insisting on a 10+ mil contract he is going to here his name in every trade rumor all season. Ainge is going to be hard ass about it and he has to and so was Red. Every contract from Max, to Bird, to McHale was an ordeal. Much like the Patriots, that is the Celtics hammer you can get your money but you might get it from the Clippers ( I know not really) or the Warriors and the Celtics are going to take care of themselves. Ask Big Al.

[Mahoney_jr]

This probably spun out of the Big Baby talks were Ainge probably asked for Courtney Lee and they said if you include Rondo and Ainge came back as long as you give us Harris and they laughed and went on to the 15th hole.

Good theory, forgot about the Baby talks. Rondo might have been part of a counter offer.

[Gant]

It might purely have been salary related. Harris is locked up for reasonable money with no BYC. Rondo needs to be re-signed.

If the true aim is somebody in the upcoming free agent class via sign and trade, Harris' contract is more flexible. Danny's always thinking a few moves ahead.

[sunshinekids99]

^^^ Denial. That would have been a good deal for the C's actually. The other players would have been just guys to make the salaries match obviously..

Denial? It's just simply reading comprehension. To be honest I wouldn't have minded Rondo being traded this past off-season.

[ParticleMan]

I'd trade Rondo for Harris straight up.

I don't think the Nets would tho. We'd have to offer more.

[ryaningf]

Rondo is the better player for this team, and the better player head-to-head. In my opinion, he'll be the better player overall when it's all said and done. Hell, I think he's the better player right now, but I recognize I'm in the minority on that one.

I agree with those who speculate that this was an offshoot of the Baby sign-and-trade. I'm glad nothing happened--once again, the best deals are the ones you don't make. THIS TEAM IS SET. No need to tinker, unless it's for Wade or Lebron.

[tombattor]

If we got Harris for Rondo, we'll definitely win the championship this year. No doubt about it.

But I doubt the Nets would trade Harris for Rondo straight up. We'd probably have to add another player or a draft pick. Rondo is better than Harris at certain things, but Rondo's got some major flaws. Harris doesn't have any. If the Nets are listening, we should up the offer to get the deal done.

[TheOGJabroni]

I would've done it. I don't think a 1 for 1 swap would have much impact on our season this year. But in the future, I honestly think Harris would be a better option than rondo in the post-Big 3 era.

[Gant]

Harris is a much better scorer and can carry that offensive load. By any measure Rondo is significantly better at passing, defense and rebounding. Their efficiency is similar. Rondo is much better head to head.

[ParticleMan]

Harris is a much better scorer and can carry that offensive load. By any measure Rondo is significantly better at passing, defense and rebounding. Their efficiency is similar. Rondo is much better head to head.

Right, but that one thing about carrying the offensive load is absolutely huge. There aren't very many guys in the NBA who can do that, especially out of the PG spot, and that's really the main thing that defines a star-quality/max contract kind of player. Could you imagine if we had Harris against the Magic last year? No way they would have left him open to go double on Paul.

And Harris isn't a slouch at defense, passing, and rebounding. He's not Rondo, but the difference isn't dramatic.

Someone said it: Harris is a star player NOW. Rondo is a star IF he gets a jumper, even though he does so many other things well. That IF is a big one. Combine it with the contract situation, where Harris is locked up long term for reasonable money while Rondo may end up bolting if things go sour, and it's a no brainer.

Unfortunately Rod Thorn has a brain, and the story about him laughing at Danny and heading to the next hole is probably the closest to the truth.

[kgnwally]

there ahd to be some other pieces added because rondo for devin harris to me is a no brainer. devin harris has a developed mid range game can shoot the 3 from time to time and is just as explosive and a much much better free throw shooter than rondo.

[BRUNiNHO91]

Harris is a much better scorer and can carry that offensive load. By any measure Rondo is significantly better at passing, defense and rebounding. Their efficiency is similar. Rondo is much better head to head.

Right, but that one thing about carrying the offensive load is absolutely huge. There aren't very many guys in the NBA who can do that, especially out of the PG spot, and that's really the main thing that defines a star-quality/max contract kind of player. Could you imagine if we had Harris against the Magic last year? No way they would have left him open to go double on Paul.

And Harris isn't a slouch at defense, passing, and rebounding. He's not Rondo, but the difference isn't dramatic.

Someone said it: Harris is a star player NOW. Rondo is a star IF he gets a jumper, even though he does so many other things well. That IF is a big one. Combine it with the contract situation, where Harris is locked up long term for reasonable money while Rondo may end up bolting if things go sour, and it's a no brainer.

Unfortunately Rod Thorn has a brain, and the story about him laughing at Danny and heading to the next hole is probably the closest to the truth.

He won't be an All Star for long...Derrick Rose is going to take that spot on the All-Star team EASILY..that kid is a freak.

[ryaningf]

I think you guys are forgetting something: the PG is supposed to make others around him better, not score 20 points a game. Harris has yet to show that--sure, he's shown he can jack 3s with 21 seconds on the shot clock, or that he can average 20+ a game while shooting a poor percentage (43% overall, 29% from 3) and he's proven that if you give him a green light he can get himself into the All-Star game. How many of those kinds point guards have won anything? Harris is in the Marbury/Baron Davis/Monta Ellis/Iverson mold--great individual stats, while languishing on bad teams. (The last 20 point per game point guard who was on a championship team was Magic Johnson in '87, who kind of broke the mold as far as the PG position is concerned, doing it while getting 12 assists and 6 boards, while shooting 52% from the field).

Rondo's 3 years younger than Harris, and he's already shown he can lead a team and make other players better around him. Rondo's demonstrably better in every other category, except for scoring. Rondo's also more durable (Harris has averaged 69 games per season, Rondo averages 78). I'd much much rather have Rondo leading this team in 3 years--he'll be in his absolute prime (26 years old), meanwhile Harris will be starting his decline.

It continues to amaze me the degree to which a below average jump shot causes people to undervalue what Rondo does--and conversely the degree to which a decent jump shot causes people to overvalue guys like Harris, extolling in the process what amounts to a losing formula.

This time next year, Rondo's play will make this discussion moot. I'm looking forward to that.