Ian Thomson: "Rondo is gone"

[Who]

The guy can either coach or he can't coach (in this league).

If he can coach, Rondo will be fine. If he can't coach, Rondo might become a problem. It is up to the coach. He either knows what he is doing or he doesn't.

Trading Rondo to deal with a coach who isn't good enough for the job is plain dumb.

[BudweiserCeltic]

The guy can either coach or he can't coach (in this league).

If he can coach, Rondo will be fine. If he can't coach, Rondo might become a problem. It is up to the coach. He either knows what he is doing or he doesn't.

Trading Rondo to deal with a coach who isn't good enough for the job is plain dumb.

Hear, hear.

[SHAQATTACK]

Hope he isn't traded

But.....I'd  just about bet DA will pull the trigger for Rondo for the right deal

DA doesn't want to chance Rondo screwing his new master plan rebuild.


Rondo will get dumped for somebody like Milsap ,  a better center ,  or another potential star such as Drummond  .

Love watching Rondo do his thing on court ,  but no confidence he'll survive and keep his mouth shut.


still think DA should have traded Rondo for Noel  .....my guess Phily GM beat him to the punch.....

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

I could see this as a Chuck Daly/ Isiah Thomas situation:

Years later, they would refer to it as "the McDonald's meeting." The Pistons were in a brutal stretch during the 1985-86 season, having dropped 13 of their previous 19 games. And Isiah Thomas, Detroit's franchise player, asked Chuck Daly to meet him at a McDonald's in suburban Detroit so they could set a few things straight.
Thomas knew Daly was on the verge of getting fired. He supported Daly, despite the Pistons' struggles, but the star point guard needed to know if Daly was as desperate to win as he was.

"Is this what you still want to do?" Thomas asked him. Daly didn't flinch. As usual, he was cool. "Let's just gut our way through it and figure out how to get it right," he said.

It was a turning point for the franchise, and for the relationship between coach and star player. Thomas went to owner Bill Davidson and asked him to stick with Daly a little longer. And Daly held up his end, guiding the Pistons to NBA championships in 1989 and 1990.

http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/2009/05/detroit_and_the_nba_loved_chuc.html

maybe but i really think rondo is gone just a matter of when.

[gar]

The guy can either coach or he can't coach (in this league).

If he can coach, Rondo will be fine. If he can't coach, Rondo might become a problem. It is up to the coach. He either knows what he is doing or he doesn't.

Trading Rondo to deal with a coach who isn't good enough for the job is plain dumb.

Hear, hear.

Ainge is a daring GM who is not afraid to look to the future of the league and of the sport in general. Doc was old school and frustrated many of us with this. Stevens is the opposite. If Rondo had a problem with Doc, there is no reason to believe that he would with Docs opposite, if anything it might give him more confidence in the direction of the team. Danny is not afraid of making History. Neither is Rondo. He can either go down as the player/collaborator that helped take the youngest coach in NBA history to a banner or he can go down as the locker room poison that turned on the a coach who regardless of what happens with the C's is destined to be one of the best in the history of the sport.

[ssspence]

Sherrod is a waste of space. Thomson is more plugged in, but more importantly his opinion is shared pretty widely. You think there's a daily watch on Rondo trade interest because folks who follow NBA circles think he's likely to remain a C? Many clearly feel he's more likely to be dealt than kept for reasons that should now be pretty evident to even the staunchest Rondo supporter.

[Tr1boy]

Rondo needs to understand its either 90 percent stevens way or the highway. He rolls the ball midcourt or misses an easy pass bc its to a than talented player, he will be in trouble.

Rondo needs to go back to being rondo of 2008-2010

[CoachBo]

rondo is the smartest player in the game.

I'm not sure that this can be backed up.

As for Thomsen, he's just guessing.

This. On both points.

With that said, certainly Stevens has never coached anyone quite like Rondo.

A lot of coaches haven't, I'm sure.

[Celtics17]

I keep reading Celtics fans 'overvalue' Rondo but most of what I read here it seems as if he is undervalued. Look, noone knows what post-surgery Rondo will be like so all we judge him on is what he has done. That being said, this is a player who put up 18-18-18 in a playoff game, actually a little better.

Those numbers don't come around often, like maybe the last time was almost fifty years ago. You don't trade that player until you see what he is like after surgery. And, you certainly don't trade him for an unknown player even that player is in the lottery.

Rondo will come back from surgery and drive up his trade value by dominating games. Then when Ainge realizes that Rondo is not helping the 'tanking' effort he may then trade him.

[BringToughnessBack]

I love watching Rondo and think he will be more valuable being paired with a few young stars in the coming years.

If Danny is going to trade Rondo, I would imagine some of the best offers will happen right after Howard picks a team. It will leave a few other teams that don't get chosen a bit more desperate for a superstar and they might up the ante on offers.

If we survive 7 days after Howard decides which team he will poison for the next 4-5 years, I look for us to carry him into season until he can improve his value by just being Rondo. By then, Danny will know if the new coach and him can gel. If they don't, He will be gone by all star break for sure.

[MaxAMillion]

The guy can either coach or he can't coach (in this league).

If he can coach, Rondo will be fine. If he can't coach, Rondo might become a problem. It is up to the coach. He either knows what he is doing or he doesn't.

Trading Rondo to deal with a coach who isn't good enough for the job is plain dumb.

Hear, hear.

Ainge is a daring GM who is not afraid to look to the future of the league and of the sport in general. Doc was old school and frustrated many of us with this. Stevens is the opposite. If Rondo had a problem with Doc, there is no reason to believe that he would with Docs opposite, if anything it might give him more confidence in the direction of the team. Danny is not afraid of making History. Neither is Rondo. He can either go down as the player/collaborator that helped take the youngest coach in NBA history to a banner or he can go down as the locker room poison that turned on the a coach who regardless of what happens with the C's is destined to be one of the best in the history of the sport.

I don't even know where to begin. First of all, Rondo has had problems with all his coaches (college and pro). He has also had problems with players. So it misses the mark to simply make this about Rondo having a problem with Doc.

Two, a coach destined to be one of the best in history? Is Coach K taking the job? How many championships is Stevens going to win, five?

[Smitty77]

Brad Stevens seems like a smart guy.  If he's as great a basketball mind as they say he is, he must be thrilled at the opportunity to work with Rajon Rondo. 

I think they could form something very special given the opportunity.

Right. What a way to prove you're worth your salt... build a working, positive relationship with someone as polarizing as Rondo. And if he can manage that, the team may well surpass expectations.

Right, right.

I may be wrong on this, but I kinda feel that both Doc and Ray are too of the most easiest personalities to get a long with. They both may have their own eccentricity and OCD-ness, but they have pretty mellow personalities.

If you can't get a long with Doc and Ray, then I don't know where else to look except the mirror.

Doc is mellow to a degree, but how in the world can you even begin to use that adjective to describe Ray? 

Smitty77

[Smitty77]

I think Rondo is an elite player in the NBA, but he requires other talented and effective teammates in order to be truly elite.

The problem with Rondo's game is he is playing in a different era of basketball, where ball dominator scorers are the key to everything in the game, especially in the playoffs. The problem with Rondo is he is not a ball dominator SCORER. Rondo is pass first type of a player and he needs guys to PASS TO.

I do not think Rondo is "every day" smart. He may possess a high on the court basketball IQ, but he lacks the smarts, for example, tarnishing his relationship with Ray, being less and less of a professional each and every season (the more and more he was given the keys to the franchise, the more and more he seemed to want to do things his own way and not in unison with the Big 3).

Had Rondo been truly smart, in regards to Ray, and helped bridge that relationship a bit, that part of the game, the passer to shooter part of the game, is $$$$$.

Too bad it fizzled out, Rondo could have had at least 2 more assists per game with a deadly shooter like Ray.

To be fair, Ray's ego was a bigger issue than Rondo's IMO. Ray complained about just about anyone he could think of when he departed for Miami. He felt "unwanted" by the organization because he was offered in trades. He thought Doc wasn't utilizing him enough on offense. He felt jealous that Pierce and KG got all the spotlight. He disliked Rondo. And honestly, why did he dislike Rondo? According to reports, he felt that Rondo would pass him over on the court in favor of other teammates. He was irked by Rondo's rapid ascension. He preferred when Rondo was lower on the ladder and followed him around, studying his work routine.

Good riddance.

During the inaugural year of the Big 3, Ray was the one that sacrificed the most out of the Big 3. Ray was the one who was least in the limelight, the one who was the last of the Big 3 to receive any of the positive credit.

Prior to forming the Big 3, it could be argued that Ray had a better career than Paul Pierce.

Ray clearly has had a much more impressive career than Rondo, up until this point in Rondo's career. So I can see Ray's big ego, it is backed up by his career. And Ray still can back it up in big moments even when he is struggling from the field.

The knock on Rondo, throughout his career, was and is that Rondo can't shoot. So please forgive me if it is so awful if Rondo has to follow Ray's workouts...god for bid.

I apologize LB3533 if you feel like I am attacking you.  I am not attacking you, just what you are typing!!  Ray hit ONE big shot and it was a big shot in this year's Finals. ONE freaking shot!!!  His Efficiency Rating for the playoffs was UNDER 10.

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/ray_allen/

Do you realize that Rondo's playoff efficiency over the last 3-4 years is TRIPLE that?  TRIPLE.  I am NOT talking 3 or 4 points higher, but I am talking THREE stinking TIMES as high.

Smitty77

[Smitty77]

I think Rondo is an elite player in the NBA, but he requires other talented and effective teammates in order to be truly elite.

The problem with Rondo's game is he is playing in a different era of basketball, where ball dominator scorers are the key to everything in the game, especially in the playoffs. The problem with Rondo is he is not a ball dominator SCORER. Rondo is pass first type of a player and he needs guys to PASS TO.

I do not think Rondo is "every day" smart. He may possess a high on the court basketball IQ, but he lacks the smarts, for example, tarnishing his relationship with Ray, being less and less of a professional each and every season (the more and more he was given the keys to the franchise, the more and more he seemed to want to do things his own way and not in unison with the Big 3).

Had Rondo been truly smart, in regards to Ray, and helped bridge that relationship a bit, that part of the game, the passer to shooter part of the game, is $$$$$.

Too bad it fizzled out, Rondo could have had at least 2 more assists per game with a deadly shooter like Ray.

To be fair, Ray's ego was a bigger issue than Rondo's IMO. Ray complained about just about anyone he could think of when he departed for Miami. He felt "unwanted" by the organization because he was offered in trades. He thought Doc wasn't utilizing him enough on offense. He felt jealous that Pierce and KG got all the spotlight. He disliked Rondo. And honestly, why did he dislike Rondo? According to reports, he felt that Rondo would pass him over on the court in favor of other teammates. He was irked by Rondo's rapid ascension. He preferred when Rondo was lower on the ladder and followed him around, studying his work routine.

Good riddance.

During the inaugural year of the Big 3, Ray was the one that sacrificed the most out of the Big 3. Ray was the one who was least in the limelight, the one who was the last of the Big 3 to receive any of the positive credit.

Prior to forming the Big 3, it could be argued that Ray had a better career than Paul Pierce.

Ray clearly has had a much more impressive career than Rondo, up until this point in Rondo's career. So I can see Ray's big ego, it is backed up by his career. And Ray still can back it up in big moments even when he is struggling from the field.

The knock on Rondo, throughout his career, was and is that Rondo can't shoot. So please forgive me if it is so awful if Rondo has to follow Ray's workouts...god for bid.

Ray shot under 45% for the regular season and 43% in the playoffs.  Rondo has shot over 47% five of the last six regular seasons and over 46% in his last three playoffs.  Yes, Ray is a better three points shooter, but overall, is Ray (NOW especially) really such a better overall shooter???

Smitty77

[rbk526]

if the celtics trade rondo it will be a big mistake everyone says rondo is hard 2 coach pain in but how many coache's has rondo had in the nba doc rivers didn't invent the game and he was not the great coach b4 he got 2 the celtics he had problems in orlando with players that weren't vets and how many celtics fans had a problem with how he developed young players and never got the team 2 rebound or how bad there pick and roll defense was doc left because guys started tuning him out and his message got old this happens not anyone fault just time 4 a change