What's Rondo's perceived trade value?

[lightspeed5]

I think it goes something like this:

You have the top tier, who you’d trade just about anybody on your roster for (except the uber upper echelon, i.e. LeBron, Wade, Dwight, Durant) and basically mortgage your future to get.  To trade for these guys would be like a 4-to-1 asset swap at the minimum (along with salary filler).

1.   Chris Paul
2.   Derrick Rose
3.   Deron Williams

Then the next tier down is the young studs who you hope develops into that top tier in the next couple of years.  Teams would trade an established All-Star (Bosh, Boozer, David West, Al Horford, Granger, etc.) and a solid player or pick or two, or will trade several promising young players, but won’t trade a superstar for one of these guys. More of a 2.5-to-1 asset swap to get these guys (along with salary filler).

1.   Kyrie Iriving
2.   Ricky Rubio
3.   John Wall

Then the tier below that is the up-and-coming All-Star point guards, usually fresh off their rookie deals.  They have some experience and are currently better than the tier above them, but their flaws are more well known since they’ve been in the league longer, so these guys have a lower ceiling in most people’s minds.  It would still take an established All-Star to get one of these guys, but you probably wouldn’t get any good picks or other young assets.  This is more like a 1-to-1 asset swap, but both teams will be trading All-Star caliber players.

1.   Russell Westbrook
2.   Rajon Rondo
3.   Stephen Curry

Then the tier below that is the young solid starter and experienced veteran.  With the young guys, at the best you’re getting someone who may be in the conversation for an All-Star spot if your team is doing good enough, but will likely never make it.  Or you’re getting a veteran who you know the best days are behind him and you don’t know how many strong seasons he has left but maybe could put you over the top now.  You trade a solid starter, a young player who may or may not develop into a solid starter, or maybe a late draft pick for one of these guys.  You think a change of scenery might turn the young player into a consistent starter or turn back the clock a little for the veteran.  You get these guys either in a salary dump from a team who decides it’s time to rebuild for a solid draft pick, or by trading an over-the-hill veteran of your own for the solid, younger starter, or vice versa.  Or by trading a player with injury question marks,  This is usually more of a 1-to-1 asset swap (with salary filler) but you’re trading starter quality players, not All-Stars.

1.   Steve Nash
2.   James Harden
3.   Kyle Lowry
4.   Jason Kidd
5.   Mike Conley
6.   Tony Parker
7.   Chauncey Billups
8.   Devin Harris
9.   Raymond Felton
10.   Jameer Nelson
11.   Mo Williams

perfect