This is a question for honest Celtics fans.

[dark_lord]

i wanted kg the second i heard about the possibility to get him.

i had the same reaction when i heard the rondo/cp3 talks.

[LB3533]

I was biased against Big Al because he kinda "replaced" Toine. I was all for the KG trade, even if it included #5 pick.

At the time, in my mind, KG+Pierce (under Doc's coaching) was much greater than Toine+Pierce.

I felt we could have gotten to the Finals easily with a KG/PP combo surrounded with anybody.

[footey]

For those of us (including me) that did not want to trade Big Al, we over-valued his upside (which has flattened due to injury and reality) and undervalued the transformation KG would make on our team defense. 

I would favor a trade for CP, but have been disappointed in how tepid the market seems for Rondo right now. I mean, New Orleans would not take him in a trade, when CP has only a year left on his contract?

I think the Celtics should gamble on CP, and not insist that he extend as a condition to making a trade for him.  I think if he is able to compete with our remaining pieces for a championship this year, and we are able to land a huge FA next off season, he would be insane not to re-up here.

[tyrone biggums]

Loved the trade then and loved it now. Anytime when you can add a player still playing at a high level, you make that deal. I absolutely hope no one thinks otherwise in 2012. Those types of deals are the ones that separate the Celtics from a team like the Blazers.

[nickagneta]

i wanted kg the second i heard about the possibility to get him.

i had the same reaction when i heard the rondo/cp3 talks.

This...

And someone can correct me if I am wrong but I am pretty sure a poll here at Celticsblog had the viewership overwhelmingly in favor of NOT trading away Big Al for KG.

Never understood that as I don't understand why one wouldn't be in favor of trading Rondo for Paul.

[KGs Knee]

I don't understand why one wouldn't be in favor of trading Rondo for Paul.

Paul is better than Rondo, but NOT $5mil+ per season better.  $5mil is a pretty big reason if you ask me.

That, and for me personally, I just don't like Paul.  He's a mini-LeBron diva.  No thanks.

[slamtheking]

I don't understand why one wouldn't be in favor of trading Rondo for Paul.

Paul is better than Rondo, but NOT $5mil+ per season better.  $5mil is a pretty big reason if you ask me.

This is what concerns me as well.  that and CP3's knee. 

If Rondo develops a jumper to 18 feet and can hit 75% of his FTs, this deal isn't even under consideration.

I'm not against trading Rondo for Paul if the deal is equitable, Paul re-ups and stays healthy.

As for the Big Al/KG deal, I wasn't for it for a few reasons:
- Big Al was still developing and was still young.  KG was much older -- at the tail end of his career.
- We were giving up too much.  I think we should have been able to either keep Gomes or the pick we sent back to them.  In light of what LA gave up for Gasol, I still believe we gave up too much.
- Big Al had post moves we hadn't seen since Mchale.  KG was not a low post threat like Al and still isn't.  He's a jumpshooter primarily.
---at this point, the deal obviously worked out but I'm still not convinced that if the KG deal didn't happen that the C's couldn't have won a title with Big Al as the PF and Gomes on the bench. 

[Celtics18]

i wanted kg the second i heard about the possibility to get him.

i had the same reaction when i heard the rondo/cp3 talks.

This...

And someone can correct me if I am wrong but I am pretty sure a poll here at Celticsblog had the viewership overwhelmingly in favor of NOT trading away Big Al for KG.

Never understood that as I don't understand why one wouldn't be in favor of trading Rondo for Paul.

Here are the reasons why I am not in favor of trading Rondo for Paul:

Chris Paul's knees are questionable.  I'm not sure he'll ever be the player he was before he injured his knee.

Rajon Rondo had a down year last year due to his injury problems, namely his season long battle with plantar fasciitis.  The good news is that many NBA player have had this condition and made full recoveries.  I expect this to be the case with Rondo.  I have not heard any reports that it is still a lingering issue.

I think that a fully recovered Rondo will be able to build on the improvements he made in each of his first four seasons and be one of the top point guards in the league.

It's my opinion that Rondo plays very well with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen and that he's helped prolong their careers as much as they've helped raise him.  I think that people tend to underestimate his otherworldly ability as a passer.

I believe that Rondo's disruptive abilities as a defender are better than any other guard in the league.  I, also, believe that due to his injuries last year this is the aspect of his game that suffered the most.  A healthy Rondo is absolutely nasty on the defensive end on the floor.  Paul is a decent defender for a point guard, but not close to being in Rondo's class.

Also there is the issue of Rajon Rondo's contract which will pay him $11 million next year vs. Chris Paul, who will likely command $20 million.  That extra $9 million will go a long way towards reloading once Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett come off the books next year.

I also think that the distraction surrounding Chris Paul coming here with his future uncertain and his free agency still looming in the off-season could be a significant distraction to the chemistry of a team going for one last run at a title.  

There is the chance that Paul would come here, we wouldn't win anything, and then he would walk out on us in the off-season.  I don't want to give up Rondo for that possibility.

Finally, I'm a fan.  I feel loyalty to a guy who started as a Celtic with not much more than his ability to be a defensive disruptor.  Yes, he showed flashes of his brilliance as a playmaker from the beginning, but his development as a player has been a joy to watch.  I like his personality from what I've seen despite the rumors that he has the worst attitude in the NBA.  The guy is a true Celtic in my mind, and I hope he stays one.

I'm sure many will just focus on my last argument and therefore discount or ignore all the previous ones and simply come away with the idea that anyone who would want to keep Rondo long term is simply a homer in green tinted glasses.  So be it.  

I hope this helps you to understand some of the reasons for not wanting to trade Rondo for Paul.  If you need further clarification, I'd be glad to discuss them.

[Marcus13]

Im a life-long Ray Allen fan so I got traded to Boston with him...needless to say, I was pretty ecstatic with the move

[action781]

i wanted kg the second i heard about the possibility to get him.

i had the same reaction when i heard the rondo/cp3 talks.

This...

And someone can correct me if I am wrong but I am pretty sure a poll here at Celticsblog had the viewership overwhelmingly in favor of NOT trading away Big Al for KG.

Never understood that as I don't understand why one wouldn't be in favor of trading Rondo for Paul.

x 3

I voiced my opinion in this blog around that time and called in the Planet Mikey show to express my pleasure regarding the idea of trading Big Al for KG.  I was cut off on the Mikey Show right before I drunkenly described my pleasure as one way of describing a sexual climax, haha.  (Haven't called back since.)

Nick, I'm pretty sure I remember that same poll with the results that you describe.

And also, for the same reasons, I am so on board with a Rondo for CP trade and have difficulty wondering why people are so interested in having a Rondo-led team floating through mediocrity for the next several years (just as Big Al would have done).

[Celtics18]

i wanted kg the second i heard about the possibility to get him.

i had the same reaction when i heard the rondo/cp3 talks.

This...

And someone can correct me if I am wrong but I am pretty sure a poll here at Celticsblog had the viewership overwhelmingly in favor of NOT trading away Big Al for KG.

Never understood that as I don't understand why one wouldn't be in favor of trading Rondo for Paul.

x 3

I voiced my opinion in this blog around that time and called in the Planet Mikey show to express my pleasure regarding the idea of trading Big Al for KG.  I was cut off on the Mikey Show right before I drunkenly described my pleasure as one way of describing a sexual climax, haha.  (Haven't called back since.)

Nick, I'm pretty sure I remember that same poll with the results that you describe.

And also, for the same reasons, I am so on board with a Rondo for CP trade and have difficulty wondering why people are so interested in having a Rondo-led team floating through mediocrity for the next several years (just as Big Al would have done).

The fact that the trades that brought Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen here worked out for the best does not prove that trading Rajon Rondo for Chris Paul will work out as well.

This represents very "soft" logic.  I have read some reasonable arguments for Chris Paul, even though I am against trading Rondo for him, but this is not one of those reasonable arguments.

[CelticsFanNC]

  Before we traded for Ray Allen I was against trading Big Al for KG because I looked at KG as a guy on the downside and Big AL as a guy who was really getting better.  I thought KG was the better player but it didn't make sense to me to get KG until after we added Allen and it became clear that the future was now.  

  I didn't watch KG too much before he came to Boston. After KG's first game in Boston I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt Ainge did the right thing.

[CoachBo]

i wanted kg the second i heard about the possibility to get him.

i had the same reaction when i heard the rondo/cp3 talks.

This...

And someone can correct me if I am wrong but I am pretty sure a poll here at Celticsblog had the viewership overwhelmingly in favor of NOT trading away Big Al for KG.

Never understood that as I don't understand why one wouldn't be in favor of trading Rondo for Paul.

This.

One of the odd truths of this blog, and others, is the bizarre pathological attachment to the putrid 24-win team pre-trade. Hence the unending stream of "Bring back ..." threads pining for one underachiever or another off that horrid team. I don't think I've ever seen a "Bring back Wally" thread, but I'm not on here every day, either. If I had $5 for every poster who wants another look at the brain-dead Gerald Green, I'd be retired.

I don't understand it, never have, never will.

[BballTim]

And also, for the same reasons, I am so on board with a Rondo for CP trade and have difficulty wondering why people are so interested in having a Rondo-led team floating through mediocrity for the next several years (just as Big Al would have done).

  I don't see why a Paul-led team floating through mediocrity is so much more appealing. And, seriously, a team with Perk/Al/PP/RA/RR would not have floated through mediocrity unless players were injured.

[Roy H.]

And someone can correct me if I am wrong but I am pretty sure a poll here at Celticsblog had the viewership overwhelmingly in favor of NOT trading away Big Al for KG.

Yeah, I think both on here and in a poll the Globe run, most fans were overwhelmingly against a KG trade.

Keep in mind, though, that that was pre-draft, based upon reports of Big Al + Green + #5.  In the days leading up to the actual trade, after we already had Ray, I think people were much more excited (although not everyone was, of course.)