Why I don't think Rondo's getting traded.

[Celtics18]

There are a lot of reasons that I don't want to see Rondo traded.  I'm not going to get into those now.  If there's one thing we all seem to be agree to disagree about it's the relatively worth of Rajon Rondo. 

But, to me, the main reason I have a hard time seeing Danny decide to trade Rondo is simply that I don't think he can get away with it.  No matter what people think of Rondo, I think it's relatively unanimous that he is currently the team's best player.  Ainge has gone on record saying that the team is not going to tank.  Unless Danny can get back a player in return who is as good as Rondo right now--which seems highly unlikely, considering that he is recovering from knee surgery--I don't see how trading him away wouldn't absolutely stink of blatant tanking. 

Danny can't afford to go down that road.  He needs to put together a team that has some semblance of the appearance of being competitive.  I mean, he already traded away Pierce and Garnett.  That can be justified to some degree in that he got back some assets that will help our long-term future, but if Rondo were the next shoe to drop it would simply be too fishy. 

If he were to try to trade him away for draft picks and young, unproven players, or less talented expiring contracts, I'm guessing that the league might even decide to investigate the move as a blatant tank job.

Expect to see Rajon Rondo as a member of the Boston Celtics next season.

[manl_lui]

There are a lot of reasons that I don't want to see Rondo traded.  I'm not going to get into those now.  If there's one thing we all seem to be agree to disagree about it's the relatively worth of Rajon Rondo. 

But, to me, the main reason I have a hard time seeing Danny decide to trade Rondo is simply that I don't think he can get away with it.  No matter what people think of Rondo, I think it's relatively unanimous that he is currently the team's best player.  Ainge has gone on record saying that the team is not going to tank.  Unless Danny can get back a player in return who is as good as Rondo right now--which seems highly unlikely, considering that he is recovering from knee surgery--I don't see how trading him away wouldn't absolutely stink of blatant tanking. 

Danny can't afford to go down that road.  He needs to put together a team that has some semblance of the appearance of being competitive.  I mean, he already traded away Pierce and Garnett.  That can be justified to some degree in that he got back some assets that will help our long-term future, but if Rondo were the next shoe to drop it would simply be too fishy. 

If he were to try to trade him away for draft picks and young, unproven players, or less talented expiring contracts, I'm guessing that the league might even decide to investigate the move as a blatant tank job.

Expect to see Rajon Rondo as a member of the Boston Celtics next season.

Good points, and I we cannot trade Rondo because his value is low due to the ACL injury

[lightspeed5]

wouldnt trade rondo for anything less than a superstar.

[rondohondo]

wouldnt trade rondo for anything less than a superstar.

or top 5 pick next year

[Vermont Green]

No way to know of course but of everything I have heard, I think Rondo gets traded to Houston.  This presupposes that Dwight Howard signs with Houston. I would put the odds of this only sightly higher than him staying in Boston and both quite a bit higher than being traded elsewhere.

I understand that most teams are not going to give up high value for Rondo's talent and flaws especially coming off injury but if Houston gets Howard, suddenly they would have a reason.  Rondo could be the key piece (albeit the 3rd piece) in big 3 for them.

[Nerf DPOY]

No way to know of course but of everything I have heard, I think Rondo gets traded to Houston.  This presupposes that Dwight Howard signs with Houston. I would put the odds of this only sightly higher than him staying in Boston and both quite a bit higher than being traded elsewhere.

I understand that most teams are not going to give up high value for Rondo's talent and flaws especially coming off injury but if Houston gets Howard, suddenly they would have a reason.  Rondo could be the key piece (albeit the 3rd piece) in big 3 for them.

If I were Danny or Wyc, I guess I'd be looking to get something back in a trade for Rondo, rather than accommodate Houston and Dwight Howard.

I feel like you're severely underestimating Rondo's trade value.

What would you think would be the return? Terrance Jones and pick #27 in the '14 draft? I'd call Sacramento first and see what they thought if it were me. That said, I agree with OP that Rondo probably isn't going anywhere as for now...

[droopdog7]

wouldnt trade rondo for anything less than a superstar.

or top 5 pick next year

Here is why Rondo isn't getting traded.  Because Celtic fans vastly overrate his trade value.  If we were lining up NBA guys by trade value, I'd put Rondo at about 50.  If we've learned anything over the last few years, it's that other teams are not knocking down our door to trade for Rondo.  He's a very hard guy to coach and potentially vastly overrated. 

[clover]

No way to know of course but of everything I have heard, I think Rondo gets traded to Houston.  This presupposes that Dwight Howard signs with Houston. I would put the odds of this only sightly higher than him staying in Boston and both quite a bit higher than being traded elsewhere.

I understand that most teams are not going to give up high value for Rondo's talent and flaws especially coming off injury but if Houston gets Howard, suddenly they would have a reason.  Rondo could be the key piece (albeit the 3rd piece) in big 3 for them.

You're probably right, though I'm still hoping something could be done to get Monroe from Detroit for him if they land Smith.

[PhoSita]

Eh, I think this forum is currently a pretty good litmus test for the fan base as a whole, and there are plenty of people here who are willing to sign up for a year or so of tanking if it means a shot at a top player.  I think Rondo has lost of lot of support among the Celtics fanbase over the last year or so -- fair or not.

I think Danny could definitely sell a Rondo trade and the ensuing bridge / tank season by holding up the dream of getting a guy like Wiggins, Parker, Randle, etc.

[PhoSita]

No way to know of course but of everything I have heard, I think Rondo gets traded to Houston.  This presupposes that Dwight Howard signs with Houston. I would put the odds of this only sightly higher than him staying in Boston and both quite a bit higher than being traded elsewhere.

I understand that most teams are not going to give up high value for Rondo's talent and flaws especially coming off injury but if Houston gets Howard, suddenly they would have a reason.  Rondo could be the key piece (albeit the 3rd piece) in big 3 for them.

What is Houston going to give us for Rondo?  Their biggest salary pieces are Lin and Asik, neither of whom should have much value to our franchise right now (role players already at their ceiling and perhaps slightly overpaid).

If they are getting Rondo and Dwight, picks from them won't be worth much.

Since Houston is signing Dwight in this scenario, we can't even hope for them to take on some of our bad contracts.

[gpap]

Eh, I think this forum is currently a pretty good litmus test for the fan base as a whole, and there are plenty of people here who are willing to sign up for a year or so of tanking if it means a shot at a top player.  I think Rondo has lost of lot of support among the Celtics fanbase over the last year or so -- fair or not.

I think Danny could definitely sell a Rondo trade and the ensuing bridge / tank season by holding up the dream of getting a guy like Wiggins, Parker, Randle, etc.

Please don't count me as one of those advocating a tank job.

[CelticG1]

 Th e whole "tanking" arguement is ridiculous.

We don't have to lose games on purpose but ainge can do whatever he wants and still claim they aren't taking.

Getting money off the books, Rondo not part of long term plans, thought assets coming back were more valuable than Rondo etc etc.

I think most Celtics fans realize this is now going to be a fundamental rebuild with or without Rondo. We may lose a ton of games either way but it will be because the talent isn't there not because coach and players are losing on purpose.

And Danny clearly is not going to aqcuire medipcre talent just to scrape as many wins together as he can. So if he doesn't so that isn't that tanking? Shouldn't he be trying to put together a team that can win as many possible games as possible if that's the goal?

That's why either way the tanking arguement is stupid.

[gpap]

Th e whole "tanking" arguement is ridiculous.

We don't have to lose games on purpose but ainge can do whatever he wants and still claim they aren't taking.

Getting money off the books, Rondo not part of long term plans, thought assets coming back were more valuable than Rondo etc etc.

I think most Celtics fans realize this is now going to be a fundamental rebuild with or without Rondo. We may lose a ton of games either way but it will be because the talent isn't there not because coach and players are losing on purpose.

And Danny clearly is not going to aqcuire medipcre talent just to scrape as many wins together as he can. So if he doesn't so that isn't that tanking? Shouldn't he be trying to put together a team that can win as many possible games as possible if that's the goal?

That's why either way the tanking arguement is stupid.

Not sure what you're implying. Are you saying the Celts should or shouldn't tank?

My thoughts are I think it's stupid to put together a bad team just to get a lottery pick.

Being a bad team doesn't guarantee you anything in the draft.

I'd much rather try to remain competitive than become the laughing stock of the NBA.

The Celts already tried tanking for a top pick in 1997 and 2007 and it backfired.

[Nerf DPOY]

Eh, I think this forum is currently a pretty good litmus test for the fan base as a whole, and there are plenty of people here who are willing to sign up for a year or so of tanking if it means a shot at a top player.  I think Rondo has lost of lot of support among the Celtics fanbase over the last year or so -- fair or not.

I think Danny could definitely sell a Rondo trade and the ensuing bridge / tank season by holding up the dream of getting a guy like Wiggins, Parker, Randle, etc.

I think you're right. Most fans understand the nature of rebuilding and have patience, and the ones that don't are likely fickle enough to come back to the team once things start looking positive again.

Not to hijack the thread because this is sort of along the lines of the thrust of the OP's point, but would you rather have Rondo and a slim chance at a top pick but most likely between 3-10, or no Rondo and a decent chance at 1-3 and assuredly 2 picks in the top 7? I'm leaning towards keeping Rondo and rolling the dice because I feel like most drafts turn out to be a tease and it would leave us the flexibility to still build around him/Green.

[gpap]

Eh, I think this forum is currently a pretty good litmus test for the fan base as a whole, and there are plenty of people here who are willing to sign up for a year or so of tanking if it means a shot at a top player.  I think Rondo has lost of lot of support among the Celtics fanbase over the last year or so -- fair or not.

I think Danny could definitely sell a Rondo trade and the ensuing bridge / tank season by holding up the dream of getting a guy like Wiggins, Parker, Randle, etc.

I think you're right. Most fans understand the nature of rebuilding and have patience, and the ones that don't are likely fickle enough to come back to the team once things start looking positive again.

Not to hijack the thread because this is sort of along the lines of the thrust of the OP's point, but would you rather have Rondo and a slim chance at a top pick but most likely between 3-10, or no Rondo and a decent chance at 1-3 and assuredly 2 picks in the top 7? I'm leaning towards keeping Rondo and rolling the dice because I feel like most drafts turn out to be a tease and it would leave us the flexibility to still build around him/Green.

I don't think NOT wanting to see a team intentionally lose means you're fickle.

I could argue that you are just as fickle if you intentionally want to see your team lose, instead of win.