Celtics Mailbag: Rajon Rondo Unlikely to Develop Jumper at This Stage of Career

[European NBA fan]

Is there any offseason plan for Rajon Rondo to work on his outside shot? If he could keep defenses honest, it would create easier scoring chances across the board.
--Dan

I'll put it this way, Dan: I was in the Celtics' gym last week, and Rajon Rondo wasn't on the floor shooting. He was upstairs, running on the treadmill.

It pains me to say this, and I'm sure it's no picnic for you to read it, but I don't think Rondo is at all concerned with being a shooter. He's a Celtic, and he's surrounded by three Hall of Famers who can shoot like nobody's business. I think he takes that for granted a little bit. For now, Rondo's content just to be a defender, a fast-break weapon, and a facilitator for his teammates in the half-court offense.

I do agree with your assessment that Rondo developing a jumper would make everyone's lives easier; I just don't see it happening any time soon. Maybe there's hope for Rondo pulling a Jason Kidd and becoming a shooter late in his career. But for now, don't hold your breath. Sorry.

http://www.nesn.com/2011/06/celtics-mailbag-lockout-threatens-final-season-for-kevin-garnett-ray-allen-in-cs-green.html

Found this pretty interesting and hope that he is wrong, but honestly don't know.

There were also some other pretty interesting tidbits in it.

I really don't know what to say. Rondo's dislocated elbow is still healing, and suggesting that he should be shooting now is ridicolous beyond words.

[BASS_THUMPER]

you learn ya jumper during rec ball, high skool and college..if you dont have one before the nba then it's ova~

[Cman]

Is there any offseason plan for Rajon Rondo to work on his outside shot? If he could keep defenses honest, it would create easier scoring chances across the board.
--Dan

I'll put it this way, Dan: I was in the Celtics' gym last week, and Rajon Rondo wasn't on the floor shooting. He was upstairs, running on the treadmill.

It pains me to say this, and I'm sure it's no picnic for you to read it, but I don't think Rondo is at all concerned with being a shooter. He's a Celtic, and he's surrounded by three Hall of Famers who can shoot like nobody's business. I think he takes that for granted a little bit. For now, Rondo's content just to be a defender, a fast-break weapon, and a facilitator for his teammates in the half-court offense.

I do agree with your assessment that Rondo developing a jumper would make everyone's lives easier; I just don't see it happening any time soon. Maybe there's hope for Rondo pulling a Jason Kidd and becoming a shooter late in his career. But for now, don't hold your breath. Sorry.

http://www.nesn.com/2011/06/celtics-mailbag-lockout-threatens-final-season-for-kevin-garnett-ray-allen-in-cs-green.html

Found this pretty interesting and hope that he is wrong, but honestly don't know.

There were also some other pretty interesting tidbits in it.

I really don't know what to say. Rondo's dislocated elbow is still healing, and suggesting that he should be shooting now is ridicolous beyond words.

I also just can't stand the way the article is written ("I'll put it this way Dan...").  So the writer is all in the know since he happened to be in the training facility once and saw Rondo on a treadmill?  Heaven forbid he see KG scratching his knee -- it would be blown out of proportion that KG is having ongoing knee issues.

All that said, I agree with the prognosis.  Rondo not just going to "add a jumper" in the offseason.  It just isn't going to happen.

[greenpride32]

LOL

He was the quarterback of a championship team and the team's best player, for God's sake. 

He was a key player on the 2010 team I'll give you that.  He was NOT a key player on the 2008 championship team.  He was benched several times late in games, and the teams lack of trust in him was the key reason they brought in Sam Cassel.   

[OsirusCeltics]

Its funny to hear this notion that once the Big 3 retire, Rondo won't be that effective

Kidd and Billups never averaged more than 20 ppg in a season, and they can very good careers (which is obvious)

Also in 2009 when KG went down, Rondo carried some of the offensive load. Had 17 ppg 9.7 rebs 9.8 asst
This Rondo hate has to stop lol

[cman88]

Its funny to hear this notion that once the Big 3 retire, Rondo won't be that effective

Kidd and Billups never averaged more than 20 ppg in a season, and they can very good careers (which is obvious)

Also in 2009 when KG went down, Rondo carried some of the offensive load. Had 17 ppg 9.7 rebs 9.8 asst
This Rondo hate has to stop lol

also in the 2010 Cav's series when Pierce was struggling offensively, Rondo took over that series....I would say he was the best player on the floor...

[celtics2]

What's all this natural stuff. No one is  born shooter. Rondo is as lazy as they come. Evidently he never took instruction either. He has some natural ability with speed, court awareness and passing. He likes the circus stuff. He'll give us 5 to's a game. I think he hurts the team more than helps. I would trade him while he's healthy and move him and develop a deal for an average point guard that has a jumper. Regular season he'll do well, Playoffs he ain't getting into where's he's comfortable. The big boys have him figured out. The Miami series was ugly.

[cman88]

What's all this natural stuff. No one is  born shooter. Rondo is as lazy as they come. Evidently he never took instruction either. He has some natural ability with speed, court awareness and passing. He likes the circus stuff. He'll give us 5 to's a game. I think he hurts the team more than helps. I would trade him while he's healthy and move him and develop a deal for an average point guard that has a jumper. Regular season he'll do well, Playoffs he ain't getting into where's he's comfortable. The big boys have him figured out. The Miami series was ugly.

lazy? how can you explain the fact that his game has improved every year? I doubt he just "naturally" got better at making plays...

well, when you're playing with one arm sure its gonna be ugly...rondo was spectacular in the Knicks series, and averaged nearly a double double in last years playoffs...hard to say he wasnt "comfortable"

[BballTim]

LOL

He was the quarterback of a championship team and the team's best player, for God's sake. 

He was a key player on the 2010 team I'll give you that.  He was NOT a key player on the 2008 championship team.  He was benched several times late in games, and the teams lack of trust in him was the key reason they brought in Sam Cassel.   

  The Celts brought in Cassell because they didn't trust House. Rondo had games in the Finals of 15/5/7, 4/6/16 and 21/7/8 with 6 steals. Clearly he was a key player, clearly he's been a core player on a title contending team for multiple years.

[Fafnir]

LOL

He was the quarterback of a championship team and the team's best player, for God's sake. 

He was a key player on the 2010 team I'll give you that.  He was NOT a key player on the 2008 championship team.  He was benched several times late in games, and the teams lack of trust in him was the key reason they brought in Sam Cassel.   

  The Celts brought in Cassell because they didn't trust House. Rondo had games in the Finals of 15/5/7, 4/6/16 and 21/7/8 with 6 steals. Clearly he was a key player, clearly he's been a core player on a title contending team for multiple years.

I don't think Doc trusted Rondo or House yet, he wanted another option at PG if Rondo got into a funk during a tough game.

[The DarkPassenger]

It pains me to say this, and I'm sure it's no picnic for you to read it, but I don't think Rondo is at all concerned with being a shooter. He's a Celtic, and he's surrounded by three Hall of Famers who can shoot like nobody's business. I think he takes that for granted a little bit. For now, Rondo's content just to be a defender, a fast-break weapon, and a facilitator for his teammates in the half-court offense.

I do agree with your assessment that Rondo developing a jumper would make everyone's lives easier; I just don't see it happening any time soon. Maybe there's hope for Rondo pulling a Jason Kidd and becoming a shooter late in his career. But for now, don't hold your breath. Sorry.

That's pretty much what I have been saying for a while now. He just doesn't feel obligated to work on it and won't until Ray and KG leave... maybe even Pierce and by then something tells me that Ainge and Doc would have surrounded him again with better shooters so who knows if he'd work on it then.

Rondo is a great PG and can score by driving to the lane like he has in the past but that's far from keeping the defense honest and who knows how the Celtics will be once the Hall of Famers are gone and it's Rondos team. We're in a lockout now so maybe, just maybe he'll get bored and work on it but I doubt it.

I am one to put hope that he does what Kidd did but again doubt it, wouldn't be surprised if he did though. It's like a 70/30 shot.

[celtics2]

Not to beat a dead horse but if Rondo gave up half his speed and passing ability he would have helped an aging team take some pressure off themselves by having that outside shot. I understand he was hurt, how could he not be being the Dare Devil he is.

Allen had nothing left after fighting off doubles all season. Try that for 82 games. Rondo has a gift(s) just can't get it all together. If he winds up on a less skilled team he surely will show his weaknesses. Frustration will set in and his stock will go down.

[BballTim]

Not to beat a dead horse but if Rondo gave up half his speed and passing ability he would have helped an aging team take some pressure off themselves by having that outside shot. I understand he was hurt, how could he not be being the Dare Devil he is.

Allen had nothing left after fighting off doubles all season. Try that for 82 games. Rondo has a gift(s) just can't get it all together. If he winds up on a less skilled team he surely will show his weaknesses. Frustration will set in and his stock will go down.

  The aging team benefits more from Rondo's passing ability and ability to run an offense than it would from better jump shooting. That's why the offense looks so much better with Rondo than with West, who's a good shooter.

[droopdog7]

What's all this natural stuff. No one is  born shooter. Rondo is as lazy as they come. Evidently he never took instruction either. He has some natural ability with speed, court awareness and passing. He likes the circus stuff. He'll give us 5 to's a game. I think he hurts the team more than helps. I would trade him while he's healthy and move him and develop a deal for an average point guard that has a jumper. Regular season he'll do well, Playoffs he ain't getting into where's he's comfortable. The big boys have him figured out. The Miami series was ugly.

Not accurate.  While certainly, human beings were not "designed" to shoot a basketball, it is a skill just like any other skill.  Sure, it has to be developed.  But their is also inherent skill involved.

Put it this way.  You actually believe that any able human being on earth could shoot as well as Ray Allen is they just practiced enough?  That the only thing that seperates Ray from Rondo is that Ray happens to practice more?

Absurd.

[Finkelskyhook]

What's all this natural stuff. No one is  born shooter. Rondo is as lazy as they come. Evidently he never took instruction either. He has some natural ability with speed, court awareness and passing. He likes the circus stuff. He'll give us 5 to's a game. I think he hurts the team more than helps. I would trade him while he's healthy and move him and develop a deal for an average point guard that has a jumper. Regular season he'll do well, Playoffs he ain't getting into where's he's comfortable. The big boys have him figured out. The Miami series was ugly.

Not accurate.  While certainly, human beings were not "designed" to shoot a basketball, it is a skill just like any other skill.  Sure, it has to be developed.  But their is also inherent skill involved.

Put it this way.  You actually believe that any able human being on earth could shoot as well as Ray Allen is they just practiced enough?  That the only thing that seperates Ray from Rondo is that Ray happens to practice more?

Absurd.

Ditto.  Beyond absurd.  Allen, Miller, Ainge, etc have/had a stroke that can't be taught.  Practice may have perfected it but the basis for it is God-given.  Rondo could improve his mechanics but he'll never have what they have.  Then again, Allen, Miller, and Ainge didn't have eyes in back of their head like Rondo does.  They don't have what Rondo does. 

Anybody who thinks Rondo is lazy and doesn't practice isn't watching.  Nobody has the incredible timing distributing the ball that Rondo does without a gazillion reps.

Without Rondo, there isn't a championship.  Not close.  He was the best player on that team and is the team's best player, by far, now.