Define "building around". Why do they keep saying we can't build around Rondo?

[bfrombleacher]

Isn't building around Rondo relatively easy? A couple of great scorers, a solid defensive center (Robin Lopez) and a few more role players to fill the gaps. Voila. Rondo can run the team. We'd possibly even have the big three (more likely Rayray and Paul) with much better contracts coming off the bench. Plus, with Rondo's relatively cheap contract, if we kept him instead of getting Chris Paul, we could get a player who is worth Jeff Green's contract.

Surely with all the cap space in 2012, we can easily fish out all that.

Josh Smith is a guy I'm really eyeing. In ATL, he can't do anything with all the isolation because he isn't a great ball handler, resulting in a lot of bad jumpers. With Rondo, I can see him abusing other SFs with his size without much ball handling with Rondo putting him in a much better position to score. Plus, they go way back and were friends since Kentucky. Josh Smith + Rondo would be quite enticing to free agents (namely Dwight Howard).

[LiamB]

I kind of agree with you but to win a championship you need a guy who can hit big shots i.e. Pierce. We cant rely on Pierce all the time especially as he gets older
You cant really put a load of role players with Rondo, even though Rondo can make a bunch of scrubs look a lot better

Also Josh Smith and Rondo know each other from high school at Oakhill

[StartOrien]

To me "building around" one player means that you've got a player that's good enough, and has enough impact to pretty much guarantee you a winning season.

I think generally, with limited exceptions, you don't really want to build a Championship team around a Point Guard. Especially one who has some pretty glaring flaws, and sometimes battles with inconsistency.

[bfrombleacher]

I kind of agree with you but to win a championship you need a guy who can hit big shots i.e. Pierce. We cant rely on Pierce all the time especially as he gets older
You cant really put a load of role players with Rondo, even though Rondo can make a bunch of scrubs look a lot better

Also Josh Smith and Rondo know each other from high school at Oakhill

True, true. Rondo can do every other thing at least above average except scoring. While you can not "build around" Rondo, it does not necessarily mean he has to go. His relationship with Doc is very special and his contract is a bargain. I still stand by my opinion of Rondo + big time scorers being a very formidable team. Another guy I've been eyeing is OJ Mayo. Mayo and Josh Smith both have superstar potential but are hindered by how their coaches run their respective teams. Mayo is like the 4th scoring option in Memphis when he should be more of the go-to guy. They will both excel with the Celtics.

Sorry about that. You are right, Rondo went to highschool with Smith. Long week.

[Moranis]

You build around a player that can be a #1 player on a championship squad.  Rondo is not that guy.

[indeedproceed]

Rondo can be a cornerstone, but he can't be the best building block, if you follow my metaphor. He's not the stone that the builder refused, but he's not the capstone either.

[Donoghus]

You build around a player that can be a #1 player on a championship squad.  Rondo is not that guy.

I tend to agree with this.

Rondo can be a heckuva #2 but I don't think he's the type to be "the guy" on a championship team.

[Chris]

You build around a player that can be a #1 player on a championship squad.  Rondo is not that guy.

I tend to agree with this.

Rondo can be a heckuva #2 but I don't think he's the type to be "the guy" on a championship team.

Exactly.  And I don't think you can't build around Rondo, I just think, if you have the opportunity to turn Rondo into a guy who fits better into that #1 mould, it would be easier to build around them, because #1 guys are harder to find than #2 guys. 

[wdleehi]

The guy you can move around the secondary players (and secondary stars) and still be a big time contender.



Example: Tim Duncan.  He won titles with Robinson.  He won titles with Parker and Manu.




Rondo is a secondary star.  He is the guy that plays at a high level and compliments the top player. 

[wdleehi]

Isn't building around Rondo relatively easy? A couple of great scorers, a solid defensive center (Robin Lopez) and a few more role players to fill the gaps. Voila. Rondo can run the team. We'd possibly even have the big three (more likely Rayray and Paul) with much better contracts coming off the bench. Plus, with Rondo's relatively cheap contract, if we kept him instead of getting Chris Paul, we could get a player who is worth Jeff Green's contract.

Surely with all the cap space in 2012, we can easily fish out all that.

Josh Smith is a guy I'm really eyeing. In ATL, he can't do anything with all the isolation because he isn't a great ball handler, resulting in a lot of bad jumpers. With Rondo, I can see him abusing other SFs with his size without much ball handling with Rondo putting him in a much better position to score. Plus, they go way back and were friends since Kentucky. Josh Smith + Rondo would be quite enticing to free agents (namely Dwight Howard).

Smith + Rondo only works if there is no halfcourt game or the get a PF that shoots 3 pointers. 

[missyP]

Because Rondo's strengths are court vision, speed and defense. He can run fastbreaks with the best of them, set up team mates (pile up assists), and defend. During playoffs the game slows down (fewer fast breaks) and offensive finese becomes invaluable (think Dirk,Wade,Kobe,Pierce,Rose, Chris Paul, Durant). There is a reason Rondo's flaws on the offensive end usually get exposed during playoffs.

Imagine him having to score 35 points in seven games to will a team to win a series!!! He is not a guy to play that role but sure can complement THE #1 GUY.

[bfrombleacher]

Seems like the consensus is that to "build around" someone, that someone has to be the best player who must score in clutch situations. My take is that instead of getting a big, big name, we try to re-create a younger version of the 2008 champs. Pierce was and is indisputably the leader of the Celtics because of what he has done for the franchise but KG and Rayray also had their fair share of clutch performances. We would have won another if not for dreaded injuries.

I guess instead of "building around" Rondo, we could "build with" Rondo. His ability to improve everyone around him allows this to happen easily.

[wdleehi]

Seems like the consensus is that to "build around" someone, that someone has to be the best player who must score in clutch situations. My take is that instead of getting a big, big name, we try to re-create a younger version of the 2008 champs. Pierce was and is indisputably the leader of the Celtics because of what he has done for the franchise but KG and Rayray also had their fair share of clutch performances. We would have won another if not for dreaded injuries.

I guess instead of "building around" Rondo, we could "build with" Rondo. His ability to improve everyone around him allows this to happen easily.

Building with Rondo is fine, but the team has to be prepared to use him if they have to to get the guy to build around.

[BballTim]

You build around a player that can be a #1 player on a championship squad.  Rondo is not that guy.

  This begs the question, what do you do when you don't have one of the 8-10 or so such players that have entered the league in the last 30 years or so? Continually tank?

[wdleehi]

You build around a player that can be a #1 player on a championship squad.  Rondo is not that guy.

  This begs the question, what do you do when you don't have one of the 8-10 or so such players that have entered the league in the last 30 years or so? Continually tank?

You build them up while adding other attractive trade pieces in the hope of either getting lucky or using them in a big trade.