if CP3 comes here, and Dwight comes here, we are so legit. so, so, so legit!
and i think some people are underestimating what a simple and underrated thing like "spacing" can do for a team. Having CP3 here would improve the offense, that so often stalls, by leaps and bounds. there would be 4-5 legitimate shooters (depending who the Center is) at all times. Rondo's biggest assets are court vision and defense and grit. CP3 has those as well in spades. Maybe not the best wing defender in the league that Rondo arguably is but he can still create havoc on that end.
triple doubles aside, i think what should be also be taken into consideration is how good the teammates surrounding them are. CP3 has pretty average teammates and Rondo has HOF-current allstars as teammates. CP3 has one borderline all-star teammate (David West), and he was even injured! The Celtics are a much deeper, much more versatile, and just plain better team. whether we currently paid Rondo an extra 5m or not is irrelevant.
speaking of which, i honestly don't care much if Rondo's on a bargain. If we sign another max contract player (like Dwight or something), then i'm assuming whether Rondo is paid 11 or 12 or 15 mil, it ultimately wouldn't matter because we'd be over the cap anyway.
And isn't the issue about CP3's contract even moot because he will play next year on his contract (when we don't care about contract figures just yet) and then come 2012 when we would have to deal with the cap, he can sign a more cap-friendly extension so that we can sign another player (similar to what the Heat did)? I don't understand the point of "CP3 is not worth the 17mil for 2 years" argument.
as for health, we can make the same argument about Rondo. Rondo has sustained a number of injuries this offseason. Granted, none as serious as surgery, but i've read soooo many times on this board about how plantar fasciitis doesn't go away and things like that. and isn't Rondo out right now for 6-8 weeks with that broken arm? I think he'll bounce back. And i think CP3 will as well (if you consider 16/4/11 or whatever it is as poor production). it took old-man KG a year, and it took young-kid Amar'e a year to round back into form.