I'm going to have to say that adding Lowry and Dalembert, and subtracting Rondo makes us a better team. Bring back KG, Green, along with Pierce; and if Bradley continutes to develop that's a pretty strong core.
The team won't contend without Rondo without major changes. If you aren't getting a better player than Rondo in a trade or else two players that are well above average you lose the trade. In the nba, a quarter is worth much more than 2 dimes and a nickel, or in this case, a dime and a nickel.
do any of you watch the nba??
lowry isnt as good as rondo, but he's close. both in per and win score, and wins per 48:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lowryky01.html look at the win score and the wins per 48. now look at rondo:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/rondora01.htmlexactly the same.
now when u look at the per numbers on nba.com it will only show you lowrys regular season vs rondos playoff per. but in the regular season they were identical.
look at espn:
rondos per:
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3026/rajon-rondolowrys per:
http://espn.go.com/nba/player/_/id/3012/kyle-lowryif u lose rondo and get back a clone who can shoot but cant rebound and also get a center to gobble up rebounds you're already ahead of the game. then u add in a 16th pick, which im sure ainge is targeting sullinger with - a guy who is going to be an al jefferson, elton brand, paul millsap clone -
http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=57192.60 (if any of you doubt this)
and with a little luck with sully dropping to us the trade would be a genius trade.
houston gets rid of dalembert and lowry who dont want to be there, and get back rondo, whose value has soared since he became a triple double machine in the playoffs. true, they are very similar players in terms of efficiency and win score and wins per 48, but if ever there was a time danny could cash in on real value vs perceived value, the time is now - when rondo is basically considered a superstar (which he wasnt in the regular season).
i looooovvvve rondo, but he's reached his peak, as has lowry, but if u can get the same player in terms of win score back and add a rebounding monster to make kg happy with not being a center anymore - and u add a rookie who's going to be a borderline all star (if we're lucky enough to have him drop to us) and the trade is pure brilliance.
of course danny would have to give houston either one or two of his first round picks this year.
check it out:
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=6sh22gnHOUSTON GETS: RONDO, ONE
or TWO 1ST ROUND PICKS, and
either JAJUAN JOHNSON
or ETWUAN MOORE
BOSTON GETS: KYLE LOWRY, SAM DALEMBERT, 16TH PICK IN THE DRAFT.
seriously if you were to turn down this trade as boston you would be dumb.
i say
either or for what houston gets because dannys best quality is he's a brilliant salesman and can swing an unfair trade with other teams without them realising.
exhibit A: bass for baby and von wafer and a trade exception.