Would you trade Rondo for Griffin straight up?

[Mazingerz]

hell will freeze over if the clippers trade griffin now. Nor will the celtics trade rondo. Rondo is a keeper, build the team around him

[Q_FBE]

In this championship campaign of ours, no I would not. After the 2011-2012 lockout if we are going to lose BBD, Perk, and Co. I would consider this deal seriously knowing that I would need another PG. I would love to get KD and Blake Griffen together as my cornerstone for the 4th generation Celtics to combat Bron, Wade, Bosh; Melo, Amare, CPIII; Kobe, Gasol, Bynum; Then again contraction can yield a lot of secondary stars like Kevin Love and DeMarcus Cousins.

[davemonsterband]

In a heartbeat. No doubter. Especially because they're both tailored around their athletic abilities, the difference being if Rondo loses his legs he's virtually toast, Blake's not. He also commands a double team and he has nice range. PG's are a dime-a-dozen. Rondo's at a different level than most (or all) others, but I'd give that up, easily, for him.

[GranTur]

Championships don't just come around when you rebuild. We have something special right now and I would never trade ONE POSSIBLE CHAMPIONSHIP for a big big big headstart on a GREAT rebuilding period to contend for many championships.

I hope that makes sense.

[Atzar]

In a heartbeat. No doubter. Especially because they're both tailored around their athletic abilities, the difference being if Rondo loses his legs he's virtually toast, Blake's not. He also commands a double team and he has nice range. PG's are a dime-a-dozen. Rondo's at a different level than most (or all) others, but I'd give that up, easily, for him.

I think you have this backward.  Rondo won't become a worse passer if he loses his hops or quickness.  He won't lose the little spin shots off the backboard, and he won't lose his length on defense.  He'll still be an elite ballhandler.  Honestly, I don't think Rondo's game is tailored around his athleticism as much as it should be at this stage in his career.  He won't be able to outquick any opponent and get to any spot on the court whenever he wants, but frankly he hasn't been doing that this year anyway and he's still going to be an All-Star.  Blake Griffin without supreme athleticism is a completely different player at this point in his career.  

In answer to the OP's question, with Rondo on this team you're a contender for the next two years.  With Griffin instead of Rondo you're not.  Also, Griffin is a bigger injury concern than Rondo.  I'll concede that Griffin has Rondo beat in terms of potential (although Rondo has awesome potential himself - keep in mind that, in this case, the fact that Rondo isn't scoring doesn't mean he can't).  But the greater injury risk, combined with the loss of the next two years as championship opportunities, make me regretfully decline on this one.

[LilRip]

for this team, no. the team needs a great PG because well, we already have Pierce, Allen and KG. i will not be starting Griffin over KG because KG has been the DPOY this year, in my eyes. i would also rather win a championship now (and maybe next year) rather than have Blake.

but if we can package Rondo with say, Baby and Nate or something, and get Blake Griffin and still get a decent PG (someone had mentioned Billups) then i say we do it. Even getting a PG like Baron Davis wouldn't be so bad. I realize Baron's stats have been horrendous and he's been out of shape but i think it's all just "motivation" for him. He sulks and plays with no heart when his team sucks. But when he actually plays motivated (something i'm sure this new Celtics team with KG, Shaq, Pierce, Allen), he produces! as a matter of fact, he's producing now because Blake has gotten him pretty excited about playing again. and i'm sure he can be coaxed into playing D as well.

but if in a completely different scenario, and our team was rebuilding or on a youth movement, then i am saying yes.

[Mogreen17]

I really didn't expect the responses to be so evenly split down the middle.

As much as I feel that good big men don't come around that often, I'd keep our all-star point guard as we continue our very strong campaign towards number 18.

On the other hand, and in my opinion D12 and Rondo would be just as effective should we venture in that direction.

[wdleehi]

In a vacuum, yes. 


After this season, maybe.

Two years from now, yes.



Right now, no. 

[ManUp]

In a vacuum, yes. 


After this season, maybe.

Two years from now, yes.



Right now, no. 

That about sums it up.

Griffin is looking like a potential KG/Duncan level player. Rondo is looking like a Jason Kidd. The only way you don't trade Jason Kidd for KG is if you already have a KG.

Now that franchise loyalty is quickly becoming a thing of the past don't expect Blake to stay with the clippers his whole career. I mean they are the Clippers, lol.

[Who]

Griffin is looking like a potential KG/Duncan level player. Rondo is looking like a Jason Kidd.

I think of Blake Griffin more as a Karl Malone type.

I think he'll become a fine defender in time but I don't think he'll ever the type of impact KG or Duncan had on their team's defense.

[Assassin70]

Griffin is untouchable...unless he gets injured again.

[houlana]

I would do the trade for sure. griffin is really good.

great topic mogreen. TP

[GreenEnvy]

Rondo is putting up stats similar to Kidd and Nash, two future HOFers.

Griffin, in his rookie season, is putting up stats similar to Duncan and Shaq, two of the most dominant players ever.

Rondo already has a ring, but the other two PG's don't.

The bigs have 6 Finals MVP's between them.

  Has Shaq ever been on a team with a losing record? I wouldn't rush to put Griffin in that class. Maybe after he leads teams to 3-4 titles, not while he's putting up big numbers on a losing team.

I didn't say Grifin can impact a game like Shaq or Duncan. He is putting up the same (or better) rookie numbers though.

My point being that he appears to be a special talent, as only a handful of players had similar rookie seasons (Duncan, Shaq, and Robinson in the last 25 years).

The Magic won 41 games Shaq's rookie season. The Clips can still finish .500 the way they have been currently playing.

Like I said, those guys win Finals MVP's. The Nash's and Kidd's and Stockton's and Kevin Johnson's make All-Star games and the playoffs. And Rondo is closer to them than Magic Johnson.

Bottom line: I'd take a dominant PF over a dominant PG.

But again, this C's team would basically have to be blown up if they made a Griffin for Rondo swap. For that reason alone I say NO.

[BballTim]

Rondo is putting up stats similar to Kidd and Nash, two future HOFers.

Griffin, in his rookie season, is putting up stats similar to Duncan and Shaq, two of the most dominant players ever.

Rondo already has a ring, but the other two PG's don't.

The bigs have 6 Finals MVP's between them.

  Has Shaq ever been on a team with a losing record? I wouldn't rush to put Griffin in that class. Maybe after he leads teams to 3-4 titles, not while he's putting up big numbers on a losing team.

I didn't say Grifin can impact a game like Shaq or Duncan. He is putting up the same (or better) rookie numbers though.

My point being that he appears to be a special talent, as only a handful of players had similar rookie seasons (Duncan, Shaq, and Robinson in the last 25 years).

The Magic won 41 games Shaq's rookie season. The Clips can still finish .500 the way they have been currently playing.

Like I said, those guys win Finals MVP's. The Nash's and Kidd's and Stockton's and Kevin Johnson's make All-Star games and the playoffs. And Rondo is closer to them than Magic Johnson.

Bottom line: I'd take a dominant PF over a dominant PG.

But again, this C's team would basically have to be blown up if they made a Griffin for Rondo swap. For that reason alone I say NO.

  Yes, guys that Griffin can't impact the game like win finals mvps. But it's not the case that only centers and pfs win finals mvps. In fact you can look at it from the opposite view. Only 5 pf/c types have won finals mvps in the last 30 years. Shaq, Duncan, Hakeem, Kareem and Moses. Some of them won multiple mvps, but you seem to be unlikely to win the finals mvp as a big unless you're aruably top 5 or so all time at your spot. Look at the guards that have won in that time: Billups, Parker, Magic, Isaiah, Dumars, Wade, Kobe, MJ. Not only have the guards won more mvps than the pf/c types (16-10) but guards that are good but not great (such as Billups, Parker and Dumars) have been able to wim mvps.

  Rondo might be closer to Stockton, Nash and Kidd than to Magic, just like Griffin is no Shaq. But How does Rondo stack up to Billups, Parker and Dumars? I don't know that you can really make a case that Griffin is tremendously more likely than Rondo to win a finals mvp.

[GreenEnvy]

Rondo is putting up stats similar to Kidd and Nash, two future HOFers.

Griffin, in his rookie season, is putting up stats similar to Duncan and Shaq, two of the most dominant players ever.

Rondo already has a ring, but the other two PG's don't.

The bigs have 6 Finals MVP's between them.

  Has Shaq ever been on a team with a losing record? I wouldn't rush to put Griffin in that class. Maybe after he leads teams to 3-4 titles, not while he's putting up big numbers on a losing team.

I didn't say Grifin can impact a game like Shaq or Duncan. He is putting up the same (or better) rookie numbers though.

My point being that he appears to be a special talent, as only a handful of players had similar rookie seasons (Duncan, Shaq, and Robinson in the last 25 years).

The Magic won 41 games Shaq's rookie season. The Clips can still finish .500 the way they have been currently playing.

Like I said, those guys win Finals MVP's. The Nash's and Kidd's and Stockton's and Kevin Johnson's make All-Star games and the playoffs. And Rondo is closer to them than Magic Johnson.

Bottom line: I'd take a dominant PF over a dominant PG.

But again, this C's team would basically have to be blown up if they made a Griffin for Rondo swap. For that reason alone I say NO.

  Yes, guys that Griffin can't impact the game like win finals mvps. But it's not the case that only centers and pfs win finals mvps. In fact you can look at it from the opposite view. Only 5 pf/c types have won finals mvps in the last 30 years. Shaq, Duncan, Hakeem, Kareem and Moses. Some of them won multiple mvps, but you seem to be unlikely to win the finals mvp as a big unless you're aruably top 5 or so all time at your spot. Look at the guards that have won in that time: Billups, Parker, Magic, Isaiah, Dumars, Wade, Kobe, MJ. Not only have the guards won more mvps than the pf/c types (16-10) but guards that are good but not great (such as Billups, Parker and Dumars) have been able to wim mvps.

  Rondo might be closer to Stockton, Nash and Kidd than to Magic, just like Griffin is no Shaq. But How does Rondo stack up to Billups, Parker and Dumars? I don't know that you can really make a case that Griffin is tremendously more likely than Rondo to win a finals mvp.

I've noticed the trend that guards are getting the Finals MVP's. But that 16-10 number includes Jordan, which really shouldn't count lol. If Jordan, the GOAT, wasn't playing, guys like Hakeem, Ewing, Malone would have taken those awards. And other guys, like Parker, are not the best players on their championship teams, they simply got hot in the final week.

I would not be surprised in the lease bit if Rondo got the Finals MVP this year (or last). But if you look at the Conference champs over just the last few seasons, they all have one thing in common (sans Cleveland), a dominant big (KG, Gasol, Howard, Duncan, Shaq, Ben+'Sheed, and so on).

I wouldn't rule out Griffin dominating the League like Shaq did. MVP's are definitely in his future, and depending on the right players around him (unlikely in LA lol), the Finals MVP's can follow.