Or maybe the C's can trade Rondo (and other pieces) for Westbrook in the offseason. This is where the lack of BYC rules in the new CBA could be very beneficial, because it makes it much easier to trade for him, even though he is already extended. If they underachieve in the playoffs this year, and Westbrook doesn't work well with Durant and company, perhaps they consider moving him in the offseason for a cheaper guy in Rondo, who might be a better fit with scorers like Durant and Harden.
If they keep Westbrook, it could really tie their hands with signing Harden, and still staying below the stricter luxury tax in a couple years, but Rondo would make it easier for them to swallow.
You want Westbrook over Rondo at an extra $5 mil per when cap space is so crucial?
Yes. I think Westbrook is worth the extra money, and I think he is as good as just about anyone we would use that cap space for (he wouldn't stop us from getting Howard, if he were so inclined to come here).
Or maybe the C's can trade Rondo (and other pieces) for Westbrook in the offseason. This is where the lack of BYC rules in the new CBA could be very beneficial, because it makes it much easier to trade for him, even though he is already extended. If they underachieve in the playoffs this year, and Westbrook doesn't work well with Durant and company, perhaps they consider moving him in the offseason for a cheaper guy in Rondo, who might be a better fit with scorers like Durant and Harden.
So the Celts can build around a shoot first point guard who's a fairly inefficient volume shooter? Might as well save the $30M or so and just have Rondo shoot the ball a lot more.
You and I just don't see eye to eye on how good Westbrook is. I think he is a young Dwayne Wade. I know you don't, and we will just have to agree to disagree on that.
Isn't that the same thing you said about Tyreke Evans? I could see him being a poor man's Wade, but I'm just not sold on his BBIQ or his becoming a more efficient scorer.
Yes, I think they are similar players, although Westbrook is significantly better because he is a better shooter and ball handler. I would describe Evans as a poor man's Wade, while I would describe Westbrook as a young Wade...as in, he is close to on par with him, although he is slightly smaller, his game is very similar.
They are all in the same mould of the super-athletic combo-guard, that has really become effective with the hand checking rules. Guys who are a little undersized as full time SGs (although most of them can get away with it now that there are so few quality big SGs...not to mention they are all superior athletes), and have the ball handling and enough passing skills to be PGs (although wouldn't really qualify as "true" PGs).
It includes guys like Wade, Evans, Westbrook and Ellis (Rose and Wall could also be part of this group as well, although they both are a little more PG than the others I think).
And, I think Westbrook is the closest to Wade as we have seen. Ellis I think is close in the scoring category, but Westbrook has much better instincts, which sets him way ahead.
But anyways, the bottom line is, I think Westbrook is a guy you can build a team around. And I think those guys are hard to come by.