Rondo and Celtics Agree to Extension

[Chris]

I'm happy the deal got done, but I think the Celtics got their bluff called.  Not only is the cap going down a good amount this year, and will likely go down the year after that too, but Rondo is still missing some glaring parts to his game. 

Think of it this way:  Rondo has not made much money so far and is one injury away from not getting that type of contract that will make him "set".  He should have felt the pressure more than Celtics. 

I love Rondo's game, but just wait until the Celtics play a real playoff series (i.e. Orlando, Lakers, Spurs, etc).  Rondo dominated the last two regular seasons but was often times mitigated in the playoffs due to his lack of a shot.  It WILL happen again. 

Again, I'm happy about the signing so that everyone can entirely focus on banner 18.

Well, let me say this, no matter what happened this year, and where the salary cap goes, Rondo was getting a deal at least this big on the open market next summer.  I have absolutely no doubt about that.  A team like the Knicks were going to give him an offer sheet at least this big, when they miss out on the bigger fish, just to save face with fans.  So the C's paid market value...and probably a little below actually.

To me the question all along was not whether the C's would overpay him, it was whether they wanted to pay him at all (assuming he was not coming back for an MLE type deal).  I was not convinced (and still am not) that the C's feel he is a future building block for this franchise.  I think they still have some big questions about him. 

However, I think they decided to hedge their bets, and try to sign Rondo now at a fair price, knowing the teams will still be there for a trade in a year or two, if he still doesn't have them convinced.  Basically, they signed him as an asset, with the potential to be a building block.

[the_Bird]

I don't know.  If there are still serious questions about his attitude, and if he still hasn't shown marked improvement in his jump shot, I don't think that'll be a terribly easy contract to move.  If in two years' the C's brass does not view Rondo as a building-block asset, who else would?

I think it's a good deal.  I expected than 5/$50M would have been the number, the extra $1M per is fine.  Still wondering if it would not have been in Rondo's best interest to sign for only three years, the kid has the *potential* to be a max player down the road. 

But, one fewer distraction for this years' run.  Just let Rondo play and not have to even think about whether he should be shooting or not shooting to pad his assist totals or trying to gamble for more steals or any of that crap.  Contract is done is one fewer (potential) distraction for how he approaches each game.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I like I said in the other thread. With the salary cap decreasing, I think players of Rondo's caliber + years of experience have a really good chance in landing a maximum contract next year, particularly because teams that have been making space for the big shots might no longer be able to afford them or fit them under the cap constraints.

So, I can easily see some team just dishing out 12 million or so to land Rondo, particularly if we go deep into the playoffs and Rondo performs similarly to what he did last year, the good and the bad included... which I think will be mostly good this year.

Shooting for the 16+ 18+ million people will be quite tough for most teams, even those that are best prepared for the off-season.

As far as Rondo's attitude goes, and surely there are some question marks here and there, at the very least he's a hard worker and a unique talent. He's young, and in a worst case scenario, he should still be quite tradeable of if needed be.

[Donoghus]

Good deal.

Nice way to kick off the week.  My intial reaction is that the numbers don't bug me that much.  I think its a fair deal for both sides.  I'm more glad that this won't drag out now.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Good deal.

Nice way to kick off the week.  My intial reaction is that the numbers don't bug me that much.  I think its a fair deal for both sides.  I'm more glad that this won't drag out now.

Considering that we won't be under the cap any time soon, the numbers don't bug me much either.

Another positive of this, is that it removes some uncertainty of next years off-season, particularly on how to handle Ray and it puts us in a much better position to be as aggressive as we need to be early in free-agency.

Otherwise, we could've wasted weeks and months with the Rondo situation, while maybe missing out on other opportunities that we might've otherwise had... kinda like the Posey situation.

[Fafnir]

I'm happy the deal got done, but I think the Celtics got their bluff called.  Not only is the cap going down a good amount this year, and will likely go down the year after that too, but Rondo is still missing some glaring parts to his game. 

Think of it this way:  Rondo has not made much money so far and is one injury away from not getting that type of contract that will make him "set".  He should have felt the pressure more than Celtics. 

I love Rondo's game, but just wait until the Celtics play a real playoff series (i.e. Orlando, Lakers, Spurs, etc).  Rondo dominated the last two regular seasons but was often times mitigated in the playoffs due to his lack of a shot.  It WILL happen again. 

Again, I'm happy about the signing so that everyone can entirely focus on banner 18.

Well, let me say this, no matter what happened this year, and where the salary cap goes, Rondo was getting a deal at least this big on the open market next summer.  I have absolutely no doubt about that.  A team like the Knicks were going to give him an offer sheet at least this big, when they miss out on the bigger fish, just to save face with fans.  So the C's paid market value...and probably a little below actually.

To me the question all along was not whether the C's would overpay him, it was whether they wanted to pay him at all (assuming he was not coming back for an MLE type deal).  I was not convinced (and still am not) that the C's feel he is a future building block for this franchise.  I think they still have some big questions about him. 

However, I think they decided to hedge their bets, and try to sign Rondo now at a fair price, knowing the teams will still be there for a trade in a year or two, if he still doesn't have them convinced.  Basically, they signed him as an asset, with the potential to be a building block.

You don't give a player $55 million if you're not sure he's very very good. Its to much to risk to preserve an "asset". If the C's had as big of doubts as you say they shouldn't have signed him yet.

[Cman]

This is good news.  One less thing to worry about during the season.

[Kuberski33]

This is a key moment in Celtic history and only time will tell whether this was the right or wrong move -- the risk factors being Rondo's maturity plus (like with anyone else) the possibility of injury. 

Bad calls on long term contracts killed the Celtics for many years in the post-Bird era.  Let's hope Danny made the right call this time.  Based on 4 games so far this year, I'd say he did...but like with any long term deal, only time will tell.

[jambr380]

This is great news. I agree that I was hoping for 5 years/50 mill, but I am happy just go get this guy locked up. It wasn't long ago that we were in long term contracts with Lafrentz and Wally, making $13 mill and $11 mill a year, respectively. Rondo is a much better building block and I think he has proven enough to earn this contract.

[Chris]

I'm happy the deal got done, but I think the Celtics got their bluff called.  Not only is the cap going down a good amount this year, and will likely go down the year after that too, but Rondo is still missing some glaring parts to his game. 

Think of it this way:  Rondo has not made much money so far and is one injury away from not getting that type of contract that will make him "set".  He should have felt the pressure more than Celtics. 

I love Rondo's game, but just wait until the Celtics play a real playoff series (i.e. Orlando, Lakers, Spurs, etc).  Rondo dominated the last two regular seasons but was often times mitigated in the playoffs due to his lack of a shot.  It WILL happen again. 

Again, I'm happy about the signing so that everyone can entirely focus on banner 18.

Well, let me say this, no matter what happened this year, and where the salary cap goes, Rondo was getting a deal at least this big on the open market next summer.  I have absolutely no doubt about that.  A team like the Knicks were going to give him an offer sheet at least this big, when they miss out on the bigger fish, just to save face with fans.  So the C's paid market value...and probably a little below actually.

To me the question all along was not whether the C's would overpay him, it was whether they wanted to pay him at all (assuming he was not coming back for an MLE type deal).  I was not convinced (and still am not) that the C's feel he is a future building block for this franchise.  I think they still have some big questions about him. 

However, I think they decided to hedge their bets, and try to sign Rondo now at a fair price, knowing the teams will still be there for a trade in a year or two, if he still doesn't have them convinced.  Basically, they signed him as an asset, with the potential to be a building block.

You don't give a player $55 million if you're not sure he's very very good. Its to much to risk to preserve an "asset". If the C's had as big of doubts as you say they shouldn't have signed him yet.

There is a difference between not being sure whether a player is good or not, and not being sure whether you want him as a centerpiece of their rebuilding effort in a couple of years.

I think they have little doubt that he is a good player, whose market value in the NBA is at or above what they are giving him.  But I just am not convinced that they feel confident that he is someone they want to build around. 

[Kuberski33]

Good deal.

I remember thinking the same thing when they locked up Dino Radja an long term....and the same with Mark Blount.....Let's hope this one works out a little better for the C's. 

[Chris]

Good deal.

I remember thinking the same thing when they locked up Dino Radja an long term....and the same with Mark Blount.....Let's hope this one works out a little better for the C's. 

Did you really think it was a good deal with Blount?  I mean, I was happy they had resigned him, but I felt they had to overpay a bit to keep him.  It wasn't like he took a discount.

[Fafnir]

I'm happy the deal got done, but I think the Celtics got their bluff called.  Not only is the cap going down a good amount this year, and will likely go down the year after that too, but Rondo is still missing some glaring parts to his game. 

Think of it this way:  Rondo has not made much money so far and is one injury away from not getting that type of contract that will make him "set".  He should have felt the pressure more than Celtics. 

I love Rondo's game, but just wait until the Celtics play a real playoff series (i.e. Orlando, Lakers, Spurs, etc).  Rondo dominated the last two regular seasons but was often times mitigated in the playoffs due to his lack of a shot.  It WILL happen again. 

Again, I'm happy about the signing so that everyone can entirely focus on banner 18.

Well, let me say this, no matter what happened this year, and where the salary cap goes, Rondo was getting a deal at least this big on the open market next summer.  I have absolutely no doubt about that.  A team like the Knicks were going to give him an offer sheet at least this big, when they miss out on the bigger fish, just to save face with fans.  So the C's paid market value...and probably a little below actually.

To me the question all along was not whether the C's would overpay him, it was whether they wanted to pay him at all (assuming he was not coming back for an MLE type deal).  I was not convinced (and still am not) that the C's feel he is a future building block for this franchise.  I think they still have some big questions about him. 

However, I think they decided to hedge their bets, and try to sign Rondo now at a fair price, knowing the teams will still be there for a trade in a year or two, if he still doesn't have them convinced.  Basically, they signed him as an asset, with the potential to be a building block.

You don't give a player $55 million if you're not sure he's very very good. Its to much to risk to preserve an "asset". If the C's had as big of doubts as you say they shouldn't have signed him yet.

There is a difference between not being sure whether a player is good or not, and not being sure whether you want him as a centerpiece of their rebuilding effort in a couple of years.

I think they have little doubt that he is a good player, whose market value in the NBA is at or above what they are giving him.  But I just am not convinced that they feel confident that he is someone they want to build around. 

Building around a player is a nebulous concept, I really think it only applies if you have a top of the line player so you can contend.

I agree I don't know if Rondo can ever be that type of player. But in the NBA those players are all max deals, and you only have 8 or so in the league tops at any one time.

[Fafnir]

Good deal.

I remember thinking the same thing when they locked up Dino Radja an long term....and the same with Mark Blount.....Let's hope this one works out a little better for the C's. 

Did you really think it was a good deal with Blount?  I mean, I was happy they had resigned him, but I felt they had to overpay a bit to keep him.  It wasn't like he took a discount.

Rondo's season last year was better than any season Blount or Radja ever had.

Doesn't mean it won't end up being a waste, that's the risk with guarenteed money.

[Rondo2287]

I know we all arent sure if he Rondo can be that kind of guy, but down the line when the big three's contracts are expiring does anybody here think that the possibility of playing with Rondo would draw in free agents, knowing that he is going to get them the ball in good position.  

Kind of like the wide receivers that flock to Tom Brady, such as Moss, Stallworth, Gaffney, Galloway.