I feel this is the year to trade Rondo

[2Mas]

If it's going to hard to build around Rondo, I feel we should trade him before he walks. Rondo is going to want top dollars, and IMO he isn't worth the money for this team.

FYI -- No one is jumping to come play with Bradley Green & Gerald Wallace.

Before people go crazy about this, just remember when we won and title and also made it back to the Finals. Rondo was our 4th best player behind Pierce, KG, and Ray. I feel we won't win much with Rondo as our best player or even as our second best player. Rondo will help a team win when he is the team's third or fourth best player.

Dude -- That was 6-7 years ago. He just turned 22 when we won. Yeah 22 year old Rondo was not as good as megastars 31 year old Pierce or 32 year old Kevin Garnett. But in that damn 2010 finals just 2 season later, who took the team over?

If Ainge could pull off a two for one type deal for Rondo, that's fair value, he needs to do it. To add talent, sometimes you have to give up talent. I just feel it's a mistake to build around Rajon, and it might be time to trade him. Rondo can help a contending team and we are far from contending at this point. A Rondo trade might be best for both Rajon and the Celtics to get the rebuilding going at a faster pace.

You're going to rebuild faster by getting rid of your best player? Process that. You're going to take steps back, which is fine, but how the hell do you see that as speeding up the process?

Like what trade would you even consider? I just can't wrap my head around Danny being approached for a trade, that he thinks is good value, that the returning team would intrigue Rondo to resign a long term deal?

If a good deal comes, you take it, but there are just a lot a lot a lot of factors involved that I can't see it getting done. & By getting rid of Rondo, you're 100% going into a full rebuild, giving up a playoff fight for this year & handing the keys over to Smart. At that point they should just play Young & Powell & go 100% young guys, making the draft pick better.

[pac213up]

Follow the dollars, NBA is a business.

BBP (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_B ... l_Partners) likes the seats filled, rondo fills seats. They're going to try to keep him, if they can't, and have to trade, it's not because they want to, its because they have to.

I think this is exaggerated. Rondo isn't the kind of player that convinces me whether or not I wanna buy a ticket or not

I realize it is hard for some to grasp but Rondo is a very popular player. He absolutely brings people to that arena.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/ ... jerseys/2/

[Gomes3PC]

I don't think it's going to happen now for three reasons:

1. He's playing fantastic right now. D has been a bit shaky but he's been a maestro offensively. True pleasure to watch now that he has some dynamic, fleet of foot players around him. Ainge is clearly building a roster to complement his skills - tons of shooters and good passers

2. Marcus Smart's injury. To get comfortable with trading Rondo, you have to feel Smart is "the real deal" - otherwise we're just shifting one hole for another. Due to his ankle injury, I don't think we're going to get a good sense for what we have with Smart prior to the trade deadline. I know they say two weeks from now, but ankle injuries (especially ones with bone bruises) don't heal quickly.

3. The team looks better than we expected. Yes, Wednesday was a flub, but I still feel optimistic about this team. I am thinking somewhere between 30-35 wins, a serious improvement over 2012-13. Another year of maturation, a few savvy trades/signings, and this team could be a real contender in an Eastern conference that looks very unsettled. Would you have said Toronto would be a Finals contender this time a year ago? No way, but their young guys blossomed, they added some nice vets in their prime and poof! all of a sudden they look like the class of the conference.

[Fidel Sarcasmo]

i dont share your thoughts, respectfully

[canman1971]

Well, its the only year you can trade him as he will be a FA. Now, I just can't see it happening. Danny isn't going to trade him just to gain "something." Could he trade him? Of course, but it would have to be for something comparable. Ainge has enough pics right now and the only suitors would probably be playoff contenders, meaning any pick would be low anyway. I think Ainge will be working the other angle. Get players to go with Rondo, either by the deadline or during the summer.

[bucknersrevenge]

Follow the dollars, NBA is a business.

BBP (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_B ... l_Partners) likes the seats filled, rondo fills seats. They're going to try to keep him, if they can't, and have to trade, it's not because they want to, its because they have to.

I think this is exaggerated. Rondo isn't the kind of player that convinces me whether or not I wanna buy a ticket or not

I'm glad someone else bought this up. I think "Rondo as a draw" on many levels get overexaggerated. Whatever fans buying tickets that are left packed the house during games last year when they knew Rajon was out. Whatever people are left that are buying tickets will still buy tickets if Rajon is traded or leaves after the season. As for the rest that don't, I think they just want to see winning basketball whatever the roster may be before they commit. Rajon doesn't really move the needle in terms of tickets although they market him the hardest understandably as he is the last link to our championship team.

As for Rondo as a draw in free agency, that's just never been the case. Most do acknowledge his unselfishness as a net positive when they are traded here but I don't think he's regarded as highly around the league. Now don't read that to say negative, more like neutral. In the current age of the PG, everybody like their bread buttered a little differently. So while Danny may choose to build with Rondo as he is our most talented asset, Rondo doesn't really move the needle much himself in terms of being a guy that people care about playing with one way or the other. The larger question will be if the team itself is going in the right direction and of course, what's the money?.

[ConstableGeneva]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/si_nba/status/533295185401507840[/tweet]

[bbd24]

Give him the max on a 4 year deal and call it a day. He's the best QB point man in the league.

He can play his position at an all star level, makes everyone around him that much better, & knows the nba game. To top it off, he puts butts in seats, is a great recruiting piece for other nba all stars, & is great in the community.

Pay the man. He deserves every penny, & your organization will never regret it.

Hey, if someone wants to give up 3 all star commodities for him, sure, gotta jump on it. If not, pay him.

[jmr07019]

IMO Danny already knows the offers for Rondo that are out there and none of them are satisfactory. Obviously things change but I really doubt we'll be trading Rondo this year.

[Slartibartfast]

Trade him to whom and for what?

I've yet to see a realistic offer for Rondo that is compelling enough to get behind. Is there a Jrue Holiday package - lotto big man (Noel) and a future lotto pick (Saric) - out there?

[exculpatory]

If it's going to hard to build around Rondo, I feel we should trade him before he walks. Rondo is going to want top dollars, and IMO he isn't worth the money for this team.

Before people go crazy about this, just remember when we won and title and also made it back to the Finals. Rondo was our 4th best player behind Pierce, KG, and Ray. I feel we won't win much with Rondo as our best player or even as our second best player. Rondo will help a team win when he is the team's third or fourth best player.

If Ainge could pull off a two for one type deal for Rondo, that's fair value, he needs to do it. To add talent, sometimes you have to give up talent. I just feel it's a mistake to build around Rajon, and it might be time to trade him. Rondo can help a contending team and we are far from contending at this point. A Rondo trade might be best for both Rajon and the Celtics to get the rebuilding going at a faster pace.

X 1 billion

"Building AROUND Rondo" is not an accurate description. If anything, you ADD Super Star players to him that he can support .

Let him go be the 3rd or 4th best player on a current contender - where he can support studs & closers like we had between 2007 & 2012, & where his shooting liabilities do not matter & can be hidden.

Package him with Bass or Green or KO & get a stud unhappy with his current team.

And you do NOT boot-strap yourself paying the MAJOR bucks he wants to a pass first point guard who is such a limited shooter/scorer.

I am itching for the next Celtic super-era to begin.

[pac213up]

Package him with Bass or Green or KO & get a stud unhappy with his current team.

What team is he going to want to resign with that has a stud they are willing to trade?

[Stadium5]

Follow the dollars, NBA is a business.

BBP (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_B ... l_Partners) likes the seats filled, rondo fills seats. They're going to try to keep him, if they can't, and have to trade, it's not because they want to, its because they have to.

I think this is exaggerated. Rondo isn't the kind of player that convinces me whether or not I wanna buy a ticket or not

I realize it is hard for some to grasp but Rondo is a very popular player. He absolutely brings people to that arena.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/ ... jerseys/2/

I'll have the respectfully disagree. No doubt he's a popular player, but I assume anyone that thinks he has that actual kind of draw power would go to the games regardless whether he's on the team or not. You guys act like he's got LBJ power where the economy around the stadium is gonna drop off if he's not with the team. He's no where near that impactful in that sense, its just homer goggles

[Edug27]

I think the issue here is that we are playing the GM role as fans first .. and that's tough.

I've been saying this for awhile now, but Danny has a lot of decisions to make before the trade deadline. Rondo only sticks around if Danny brings in another All Star caliber player this summer. Otherwise he goes elsewhere. This is where we hear the "Rondo is loyal, he bleeds Green" ... or "Rondo isn't like Dwight" .. or "this is Rondos team, he won't leave" comments ... I choose to ignore those.

Now once the deadline is near, Danny will have to rate his own confidence that he can pull off obtaining another All Star player. If Danny isn't confident, then he moves Rondo. If he is, then he keeps him ... Now there's the option that he pulls a Phil Jackson and hopes the money keeps Rondo around even with a mediocre roster. I can't see Danny doing so at all, but for those who can, I don't blame you.

[KGboss]

Well so far this year Rondo is averaging 10.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, and 11.3 apg. as well as 1.7 spg.

His shooting overall has been at 45%, but his 3 point shooting has actually improved quite a lot so far shooting .385%

Where he has been awful in his first 7 games this season is at the free throw line...again...but worse. shooting a horrible .40% at the line is not acceptable, but he also is only averaging 1.7 attempts per game.

If I'm stevens that's what I show him as his weakness so far this season and he better be shooting 1000 free throws a day in the gym.

[pac213up]

I'll have the respectfully disagree. No doubt he's a popular player, but I assume anyone that thinks he has that actual kind of draw power would go to the games regardless whether he's on the team or not. You guys act like he's got LBJ power where the economy around the stadium is gonna drop off if he's not with the team. He's no where near that impactful in that sense, its just homer goggles

No one acts like he has the impact of LBJ.

[mwhis21]

I think this is exaggerated. Rondo isn't the kind of player that convinces me whether or not I wanna buy a ticket or not

I realize it is hard for some to grasp but Rondo is a very popular player. He absolutely brings people to that arena.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/ ... jerseys/2/

I'll have the respectfully disagree. No doubt he's a popular player, but I assume anyone that thinks he has that actual kind of draw power would go to the games regardless whether he's on the team or not. You guys act like he's got LBJ power where the economy around the stadium is gonna drop off if he's not with the team. He's no where near that impactful in that sense, its just homer goggles

This is a short-sighted statement. The city of Miami is not going to feel LBJ's departure one bit. Maybe in a city like Cleveland that has next to nothing else to offer, but places like Boston, LA, Chicago...this argument doesn't hold
water. Boston didn't go bankrupt when KG and PP were traded.

In terms of butts in seats, Rondo puts them there.

No doubt, you trade Rondo to Philly and attendance goes up. You trade anyone else on our team to Philly, nothing

EDIT- I'll add this. You mentioned homer above...if you're a fan of basketball then you go to watch players like Rajon Rondo.

[Stadium5]

I realize it is hard for some to grasp but Rondo is a very popular player. He absolutely brings people to that arena.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/ ... jerseys/2/

I'll have the respectfully disagree. No doubt he's a popular player, but I assume anyone that thinks he has that actual kind of draw power would go to the games regardless whether he's on the team or not. You guys act like he's got LBJ power where the economy around the stadium is gonna drop off if he's not with the team. He's no where near that impactful in that sense, its just homer goggles

This is a short-sighted statement. The city of Miami is not going to feel LBJ's departure one bit. Maybe in a city like Cleveland that has next to nothing else to offer, but places like Boston, LA, Chicago...this argument doesn't hold water. Boston didn't go bankrupt when KG and PP were traded.

In terms of butts in seats, Rondo puts them there.

No doubt, you trade Rondo to Philly and attendance goes up. You trade anyone else on our team to Philly, nothing.

Ok so its not so much Rondo as it is the success of the team. The departure of Rondo will inevitably result in us getting more talent eventually which will increase ticket sales in itself. Whether it be through the draft/trade/FA. Rondo doenst fit here, we have way to many guards. Time to ship him out

[sam_I_am]

Celtics lack quality of players, not quantity of players, especially considering all the upcoming picks. Rondo plus for someone better than Rondo, sure, but to trade him to get a couple of players inferior to him is to me is taking the team towards the bottom, not the top. Rondo plus, or Green plus, or Bass plus plus for upgrades is the only thing I'm interested in.

The key is to get fair value back or close to fair value. Even if it's a sign and trade to move up in the up coming draft, Ainge has to consider it. I will leave that up to Danny, hoping he can get players to help the team win sooner than later. This is a franchise that has won only one title in the last 27 years. So Ainge needs to do anything he can to get fair value rather than pay Rondo big money to keep him or let me walk for nothing.

Again, I don't feel that Rondo is worth top dollars because he is best as a third or 4th player on a contending team. And of you pay him big bucks, than doesn't leave much to get two all star type players, which is something we need.

Rondo was the best player on 2009 and 2012 contending teams and arguably was equal to PP and KG on 2010 team.

[Datruth345]

give him the klay thompson fake max contract so when the cap goes up his deal is reasonable while also being paid what he wants

over an 82 game season on a team with championship aspirations, sure Rondo wont be the best player on your team your #1 guy per say, but once you get to the playoffs, Rondo has proven multiple times he can be the best player on the court no matter who in the world is on the court with him, and that's crazy. lock him up get him some running mates and lets win another one