Why would anyone assume Rondo would start over Thomas or that Rondo would get 15 million a year?
Because Rondo is a free agent coming off a season where he played 72 games (showing that his health is no longer a major concern) and averaged 12 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 steals.
When Rondo is putting up numbers like that it's pretty hard to argue that he's not worthy of a max deal, especially when the cap is going up to $89M and almost every team in the league has money to make a max offer.
If Rondo can get a max contract and starting role from somebody (and I'm sure he will), then why on earth would he take a half / third of that to be a backup PG for the Celtics?
A max contract for Rondo?
BWAHAHAHAH.
Go and speak to Tristan Thompson and Chandler Parsons about their contracts. Then come back and we will talk 
Thompson and Parsons were young guys not yet even in their prime. Both were restricted free agents and one of which switched teams (which means you always have to overpay).
Rondo is a terrible shooter and is no longer the defender he once was. There is all sorts of evidence that his team played better without him on the floor. Rondo was so bad in Dallas that Sacramento was the only team that would sign him and only did so on a one year contract. Rondo will be lucky to get 10 million a year. He probably gets a starting job somewhere (though there aren't many teams that could use a PG). I actually think he either re-signs in Sacramento or goes to Brooklyn.
I see Rondo as having played well enough this season to get a starting job at 10-12M at either of those teams or some other non-playoff team. It's a PG-oriented league now and Rondo still has excellent passing skills.
Yeah but ball pounders that can't shoot don't have that value. Obviously you can't all be a Curry, Paul, Westbrook, etc. type player, but most of the younger PG's are either good shooters or excellent in the flow type players (or both), Rondo is neither of those. Rondo is really only a clear upgrade (or a team without a young guy) for NY, BKN, Phi, Mil, and of course Sac. Of those 5, Philly won't be interested at all, and the Bucks probably aren't interested (Rondo is a terrible fit on that team and doesn't fit in the age of the core group) which leaves a return to Sacramento or one of the NY teams. I don't see him fitting on the Knicks since they have such a ball dominant wing in Anthony. Hence, I see him returning to Sacramento or going to Brooklyn. Now if Conley leaves and Memphis can otherwise rebuild, then perhaps him going there might make sense, but Rondo isn't going to be signed with Conley and Teague available, they have to go first.
Rondo just isn't going to have a big market so even in the increased cap space world that is this summer, he isn't going to get a big contract. His game just isn't suited to the modern NBA and he just isn't a good enough shooter.
Hence my comment that he returns to Sacramento or signs in Brooklyn (after BKN strikes out with Conley and Teague of course) and doesn't get this massive contract. If Brooklyn signs Conley or Teague and Sacramento trades Cousins, then Rondo is almost definitely going to be a back-up PG somewhere and he will be making back-up PG money.
Topic: Would We Take Back Rondo If It Meant Getting Cousins? (Read 4836 times)