Rondo Voted the 12th Best Player to Build Around

[European NBA fan]

This poll doesn't show much, except that NBA players believe that the Celtics in Rondo actually have a building block for the future, which should mean that at least some of the more talented players would want to come here and be a part of that future.

Btw. I can't believe that Blake Griffin is on the list, and not Kevin Love. Griffin is one of the most fun players to watch, but he has yet to show the same killer instinct, that Love has developed tremendously this year.

[BballTim]

realistically if you're building a team from scratch right now you'd take the following players over Rondo.

Bron
Dwight
Durant
Kevin Love
Blake Griffin
Chris Paul
Deron Williams
Rose

Kinda no-brainers there.  

You have to take Wade over him too, right?  Another no-brainer.

Tough call whether to take Rondo or Westbrook.

And beyond that I really can't fault anyone for taking guys still on their rookie deals to build around such as Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins, Rubio... I'd trade Rondo right now for Curry or Irving without question.  You could probably talk me into Cousins or Rubio just based on their potential and contracts.

Also can't fault anyone who would try to win in the short window with a guy like Kobe or Dirk.  Think of it this way... if you're starting a franchise from scratch and need to grab a guy... who has more trade value?  Kobe or Rondo?  You'd have to take Kobe even if you didn't plan on keeping Kobe.

Also can't fault anyone who would rather start building by grabbing a big... so that means Bynum, Pau and Bosh are all defensible.  

I mean, really... the case could be made that taking Greg Monroe over Rondo would be better since Monroe is a 6'11, 250 pound PF/C who is 21 years old, averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds and makes under 5.5 million until 2015.  I'd have to think real hard about taking Greg Monroe over Rondo if I'm grabbing a guy to build a team from scratch.  Why take on Rondo's 12 mil if I can take on Greg Monroe making 3.3 mil next year... give myself some cap room to find pieces to fit around my star big man.  I mean, really... if Detroit offered us Greg Monroe right now straight up for Rondo (and could swallow Rondo's salary), wouldn't we have to do it?  We'd have to, right?  Based entirely on the logic that having a 21 year old big man on his rookie deal is better to build around than a 26 year old PG making 12 mil.  So that kinda answers it.    

So by my count... Rondo is arguably #21

  Or, by your count, he's arguably #9-10.

[CelticG1]

Nba players voting rondo on this list is only a good thing. I don't care if they are dead wrong

[indeedproceed]

Did not expect to see rondo so high, but then I didnt expect to see Nash on there at all.

Interesting list.

[Moranis]

Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant?!?

How do you "build a team around" players who will be retired in 3-to-5 years?

As consultant players, absolutely, but to build a future contending team around?

Nonsensical.

Nash, I concur, but not Kobe.  Kobe is still arguably the second best player in the world and will be among the top five players for at least the next three years.  Kobe is old, but is still an all world scorer and defender.  If you swapped Kobe and Rondo, the Celtics would be the title contender and the Lakers wouldn't be. 

So would you rather have 3-5 years of deep playoff runs or 3-5 years of around .500 basketball?

[OmarSekou]

The players seem to be answering what guys would they most want to play with. They're looking at it from a player perspective as opposed to a GM perspective.

For the most part everyone picked a a dominant big, a top 5 scorer, or a pass first PG. Blake Griffin is the only outlier (I consider Pau Gasol a dominant big because he's so well rounded).

But this list just shows that players want to be with people who will do the dirty work (rebounding, controlling the paint), carry the scoring load, or get them the ball.

As far as Rondo goes on the list, players know he's smart and gets the ball where it needs to be. Most actual players prefer that over the scoring PGs that are in vogue. If you're in a pickup game, do you want the guy on your team who scores all the points and hogs the ball, or the guy who gets everyone involved? Even if the ball hog is better, he's not as fun to play with.

[Yogi]

realistically if you're building a team from scratch right now you'd take the following players over Rondo.

Bron
Dwight
Durant
Kevin Love
Blake Griffin
Chris Paul
Deron Williams
Rose

Kinda no-brainers there.  

You have to take Wade over him too, right?  Another no-brainer.

Tough call whether to take Rondo or Westbrook.

And beyond that I really can't fault anyone for taking guys still on their rookie deals to build around such as Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, DeMarcus Cousins, Rubio... I'd trade Rondo right now for Curry or Irving without question.  You could probably talk me into Cousins or Rubio just based on their potential and contracts.

Also can't fault anyone who would try to win in the short window with a guy like Kobe or Dirk.  Think of it this way... if you're starting a franchise from scratch and need to grab a guy... who has more trade value?  Kobe or Rondo?  You'd have to take Kobe even if you didn't plan on keeping Kobe.

Also can't fault anyone who would rather start building by grabbing a big... so that means Bynum, Pau and Bosh are all defensible.  

I mean, really... the case could be made that taking Greg Monroe over Rondo would be better since Monroe is a 6'11, 250 pound PF/C who is 21 years old, averaging 16 points, 10 rebounds and makes under 5.5 million until 2015.  I'd have to think real hard about taking Greg Monroe over Rondo if I'm grabbing a guy to build a team from scratch.  Why take on Rondo's 12 mil if I can take on Greg Monroe making 3.3 mil next year... give myself some cap room to find pieces to fit around my star big man.  I mean, really... if Detroit offered us Greg Monroe right now straight up for Rondo (and could swallow Rondo's salary), wouldn't we have to do it?  We'd have to, right?  Based entirely on the logic that having a 21 year old big man on his rookie deal is better to build around than a 26 year old PG making 12 mil.  So that kinda answers it.    

So by my count... Rondo is arguably #21

What are you talking about?  A 26 year old, multiple all-star and all defensive champion who makes every one around him earning half as much as Westbrook and Rose should be traded for Steph Curry, Greg Monroe and Rubio?  Seriously?  Why not trade Rondo for Bismack Biyombo or Jimmer Ferdette.  Maybe someone has some gum stuck to their shoe that we can trade Rondo for.  That gum has potential to become Flubber.

[GreenFaith1819]

Like some here have noted, the fact that the players rated Rondo so high is encouraging.

Now it's time to put their money where their mouth is .

Get ready to come to BOS in the future. Danny will have some cash to spend, and you'll perhaps get to play with this highly rated PG of ours, as well as Paul and hopefully Ray and KG in some capacity.

Put your money where your mouth is, NBA stars. Come wear the Green.

[mobilija]

Most players would not make very good GMs, I see.

I don't think that is the point. NBA Players made this list. NBA Players that sign Free Agent contracts. NBA players want to play with the players on that list. NBA Players would like to play with Rondo.

[CelticG1]

Most players would not make very good GMs, I see.

I don't think that is the point. NBA Players made this list. NBA Players that sign Free Agent contracts. NBA players want to play with the players on that list. NBA Players would like to play with Rondo.

Exactly. I could care less if they think Steimsma is t
he best to build aroundd

[BballTim]

Most players would not make very good GMs, I see.

I don't think that is the point. NBA Players made this list. NBA Players that sign Free Agent contracts. NBA players want to play with the players on that list. NBA Players would like to play with Rondo.

  The same players that I've repeatedly been told won't consider signing with Boston unless we trade Rondo away.

[Celts Fan 92]

why is Eric 2 games played this season gordon on tht list?

[Moranis]

Most players would not make very good GMs, I see.

I don't think that is the point. NBA Players made this list. NBA Players that sign Free Agent contracts. NBA players want to play with the players on that list. NBA Players would like to play with Rondo.

  The same players that I've repeatedly been told won't consider signing with Boston unless we trade Rondo away.

the only two free agents that really matter are Deron Williams and Dwight Howard and they want to play together.

[BballTim]

Most players would not make very good GMs, I see.

I don't think that is the point. NBA Players made this list. NBA Players that sign Free Agent contracts. NBA players want to play with the players on that list. NBA Players would like to play with Rondo.

  The same players that I've repeatedly been told won't consider signing with Boston unless we trade Rondo away.

the only two free agents that really matter are Deron Williams and Dwight Howard and they want to play together.

  So you're saying that you're fairly certain that they'll end up on the same team next year?

[indeedproceed]

Most players would not make very good GMs, I see.

I don't think that is the point. NBA Players made this list. NBA Players that sign Free Agent contracts. NBA players want to play with the players on that list. NBA Players would like to play with Rondo.

  The same players that I've repeatedly been told won't consider signing with Boston unless we trade Rondo away.

Certainly is an interesting piece of information. Most things you read about Rondo paint him as squarely outside the 'cool kids' circle that many NBA superduper stars seem to run in.

When you see he's the 4th most valued PG by NBA stars, that's something new. Even if the methodology is flawed, or there aren't any real-life coincidences of this, it does certainly fly in the face of what we've been led to believe.