I think everyone is seriously overrating Rondo after the Bulls playoff series. Let's keep in mind that our star point guard shot 37% with over 3 turnovers a game in the Orlando series. And his defense is severely overrated. His "let an inferior player blow by me and try to poke the ball away from behind" strategy is horrid. He also shot that 37% when Orlando's strategy was to leave him and Davis open as much as possible to send doubles at Paul and Ray. So not only is he shooting very poorly, but he is hindering Paul and Ray with his inability to shoot. Do we beat Orlando if our point guard shoots 40 instead of 37? Doesn't that give us a few extra points in a close 7 game series?
And dealing him for Rubio saves the Celtics big money when Rondo's extension comes into play, which is very soon. It allows us to improve in other areas. Y Rondo's agent is probably angling for somewhere between 10-13 million, which is why Wyc and Danny don't want to talk extension yet. Rubio will get paid between 4 and 5. You're talking about 8 million to be spent elsewhere. If money was no factor, Posey would still be here.
All of the talk about Rondo's extension, showing up late to playoff games, stubborn and moody attitude, etc... goes away but so does the contribution that he makes to the games. Even a lot of his detractors consider him at least a top 10 pg. If Rubio doesn't play at that level you've thrown away a year of our window around Paul and KG, plus they'd need to sign a pg for the following season.
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You can't get:
you can get an experienced backup and probably more for the difference between Rondo and Rubio.
because we'd still be well over cap, rubio or no. rondo's extension is a Possable cap hit, but we will still be over, even if you didn't extend rondo and took rubio.
It's an interesting idea, and you look to see what rondo's worth, but he's a top 10 PG. you dont trade those during a championship window for a kid who right now has just as many major flaws in his game as rondo does from what im reading, number 1 being the fact that scouts seriously question his ability to get his shot off at the NBA level, since It's pretty much a set shot.
If you trade rondo, you might as well trade ray for youth and picks and look into trading paul and KG, because it means you run up the white flag on this window.
You have maybe 2 years left on this thing before we go into rebuilding mode. It will take a least a year to get a 19 year old rubio comfortable enough to be a championship level starter, and that's being generous.
I think rubio will be excellent in the NBA, but he's not some flawless demi-PG god as some of the pro trade crowd here are touting. He's a yougn player with flaws, flaws that he will need to gain experiance to overcome.
now,
IF your fine with that, then i understand this trade, but realize that it effectively runs the white flag up on this era of celtics basketball, and that ray should be out the door right behind rondo in the best interests of the franchise, and KG and paul should be shopped as well.