Austin Rivers is the Key: Gasol - Rondo trade

[heyvik]

I'm not sure if I've seen this mentioned, but as people are continuing to talk about the void at PG, can anyone say - Austin Rivers???
This is the one area that people are forgetting about - Austin Rivers forcing his hand to play for his father.

This maybe the hope that Danny and Doc are seeing for this year's draft, trade Rondo, get Gasol to run with KG, PP, RA and Austin Rivers.

[PosImpos]

I just don't understand why -- or really how -- Austin Rivers would "force his hand" to play for his dad on the Celtics.

[lightspeed5]

austin rivers is a shooting guard (even though he has great ball handling). I would love to see rondo+rivers and what they're capable of...

[wdleehi]

Wouldn't trying to improve the team for this season hurt the chance of drafting a player like Rivers?

[Trifecta]

Wouldn't trying to improve the team for this season hurt the chance of drafting a player like Rivers?

This. And as good of a player Austin Rivers is, he's not a point guard.

[WeMadeIt17]

Wonder if we could pry a 1st rounder away from the lakers and have 3 first rounders to move up and snag him..

[chambers]

Wouldn't trying to improve the team for this season hurt the chance of drafting a player like Rivers?

This. And as good of a player Austin Rivers is, he's not a point guard.

Why couldn't he be a Steph Curry clone with a quicker drive to the hoop?

[clover]

I just don't understand why -- or really how -- Austin Rivers would "force his hand" to play for his dad on the Celtics.

I presume the thought is to communicate that he wouldn't sign with another team drafting him before the C's.

I just don't see that as a "Rivers" way of doing things, though I'll grant that Doc has sounded quite positive about the possibility of coaching him.

[the_Bird]

Wouldn't trying to improve the team for this season hurt the chance of drafting a player like Rivers?

Well, one possibility would be sending Bass alongside Rondo for Pau; in that kind of deal, you *might* get LA to throw in a first rounder (they won't if it's JO instead of Bass).  Alternatively, maybe if you agree to take Steve Blake off their hands, say...  in exchange for Dooling's expiring contract, maybe you can pick up a pick.

Now, if you go into next year's draft with three first rounders - even three picks in the low 20's - maybe you can package them to move up for Rivers. 

I don't see Rivers as a point guard, though - he's Monta Elis Redux, let him play off the ball and just score.

[clover]

Wouldn't trying to improve the team for this season hurt the chance of drafting a player like Rivers?

Well, one possibility would be sending Bass alongside Rondo for Pau; in that kind of deal, you *might* get LA to throw in a first rounder (they won't if it's JO instead of Bass).  Alternatively, maybe if you agree to take Steve Blake off their hands, say...  in exchange for Dooling's expiring contract, maybe you can pick up a pick.

Now, if you go into next year's draft with three first rounders - even three picks in the low 20's - maybe you can package them to move up for Rivers. 

I don't see Rivers as a point guard, though - he's Monta Elis Redux, let him play off the ball and just score.

If they go the mid-year, blow-it-up route, at least it's a quick short season for Doc to suffer through: eight weeks and it'll be over.

[Trifecta]

Wouldn't trying to improve the team for this season hurt the chance of drafting a player like Rivers?

This. And as good of a player Austin Rivers is, he's not a point guard.

Why couldn't he be a Steph Curry clone with a quicker drive to the hoop?

Good point. He could be, but that depends if he goes to a team like GS that runs. Curry isn't a true point guard either, he's just in the right system IMO.

I really like Rivers as a 2 though. I don't want him running my offense. At least not yet, he's still so young. He'll benefit from staying at Duke for another year or two.

[wdleehi]

Wouldn't trying to improve the team for this season hurt the chance of drafting a player like Rivers?

Well, one possibility would be sending Bass alongside Rondo for Pau; in that kind of deal, you *might* get LA to throw in a first rounder (they won't if it's JO instead of Bass).  Alternatively, maybe if you agree to take Steve Blake off their hands, say...  in exchange for Dooling's expiring contract, maybe you can pick up a pick.

Now, if you go into next year's draft with three first rounders - even three picks in the low 20's - maybe you can package them to move up for Rivers. 

I don't see Rivers as a point guard, though - he's Monta Elis Redux, let him play off the ball and just score.

How often does that happen in the NBA? 

[the_Bird]

Wouldn't trying to improve the team for this season hurt the chance of drafting a player like Rivers?

Well, one possibility would be sending Bass alongside Rondo for Pau; in that kind of deal, you *might* get LA to throw in a first rounder (they won't if it's JO instead of Bass).  Alternatively, maybe if you agree to take Steve Blake off their hands, say...  in exchange for Dooling's expiring contract, maybe you can pick up a pick.

Now, if you go into next year's draft with three first rounders - even three picks in the low 20's - maybe you can package them to move up for Rivers.  

I don't see Rivers as a point guard, though - he's Monta Elis Redux, let him play off the ball and just score.

How often does that happen in the NBA?  

Rivers is still projected to be a late lottery pick, right?  Figure that he's moved up a bit from earlier on, when he was projected at ~20.  Figure you'd need to be picking at around 13/14/15 or so to grab him.

Is it unreasonable to think that out pick (likely around #20), plus either the Clippers' pick (or this theoretical Lakers pick, whichever is better) would be enough to move up five spots?  

I don't see what's unreasonable about that.

Now, if Rivers has a great tourney and goes high in the lotto, we're going to be out of luck.

[Onslaught]

I'm a Duke fan and let me tell you Austin Rivers is not a PG. He's a SG who's having to play Point and he's not that good at it. Shooting yes, PG stuff...... not so much.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

I'm not sure if I've seen this mentioned, but as people are continuing to talk about the void at PG, can anyone say - Austin Rivers???
This is the one area that people are forgetting about - Austin Rivers forcing his hand to play for his father.

This maybe the hope that Danny and Doc are seeing for this year's draft, trade Rondo, get Gasol to run with KG, PP, RA and Austin Rivers.

The problem is that KG, PP, and Ray do not RUN anymore...and no pg can make them...