Who do we keep? Rondo or Crawford?

[nickagneta]

Ok, vast exhageration of a Player's ability based on a short early sample size...fair enough, I've seen this  before.

That's how I feel.  Call me a skeptic, but I'm hesitant to reward anybody with a big contract after they suddenly, in a contract year, showcase skills and commitment that they've never consistently shown before.

Remember this guy?

Still trying to forget him....please don't torture me any more with pictures of him.

[nickagneta]

Funny thing, its getting to the point that I bet there are a lot of young fans on this site that do not remember Mark Blount.

[Roy H.]

Funny thing, its getting to the point that I bet there are a lot of young fans on this site that do not remember Mark Blount.

Lucky them.

He is the perfect example of a guy showing new effort / skills in a contract year, though.  Against everyone's better judgment, Danny gave him a big contract, and we almost immediately began trying to trade him in a salary dump.

[Roy H.]

I do however, think Crawford is legitimately improving and maturing.

Well, we hope he is, anyway.  We hoped the same thing with Blount, when he started rebounding like a beast.  Crawford has recently shown skills in terms of efficiency, shot-selection, and passing that he has never shown before.  Do those continue if he's handed a new contract, or does he regress to being the same player he was the rest of his career?

[Chris]

I do however, think Crawford is legitimately improving and maturing.

Well, we hope he is, anyway.  We hoped the same thing with Blount, when he started rebounding like a beast.  Crawford has recently shown skills in terms of efficiency, shot-selection, and passing that he has never shown before.  Do those continue if he's handed a new contract, or does he regress to being the same player he was the rest of his career?

See, I think he has always had the passing skills.  And I attribute the passing skills showing up and shot selection to his role.

He is the type of player that needs to be in a high usage to be effective.  If he is playing 10 minutes per game, and playing off the ball for much of that, he will not have the opportunities to get in rhythm (and for a streaky shooter, rhythm is super important), and every mistake he will make will be magnified.  But, if he is playing bigger minutes, and has the ball in his hands more, then he is able to use his skills to make more positive than negative.

I think he is a lot like Tony Allen in that way.  Tony was never good in a 10-15 minute per game role, because then every mistake he makes is magnified, because he can't make up for it.  But, in 20+ minutes, suddenly he is able to settle in more, and make more good plays than bad.

But, the one thing that is really a question is the shooting.  His shooting numbers are way up from his career averages.  On the one hand, his 3 point shooting has been on a steady incline for most of his young career.  So, that suggests it could just be improving.  But, this is also a relatively small sample size to really believe it.  If he is still shooting close to 40% from 3 at the end of the year though, I might believe it really is improvement beyond just a contract run.

[nickagneta]

What worries me about Crawford is his 2-3 times a game that he is still jacking 3's when more intelligent basketball plays were there for the taking.

He is miraculously hitting those threes but 26 foot three pointers when Sully or Bass is down low with a PG on them after running a 4-1 switch is dumb basketball and I am still seeing that type of stuff from Crawford.

When the shots stop dropping, those flaws will be magnified and then we will see just how much people think he should earn or how much more he is needed than Rajon Rondo.

[Chris]

What worries me about Crawford is his 2-3 times a game that he is still jacking 3's when more intelligent basketball plays were there for the taking.

He is miraculously hitting those threes but 26 foot three pointers when Sully or Bass is down low with a PG on them after running a 4-1 switch is dumb basketball and I am still seeing that type of stuff from Crawford.

When the shots stop dropping, those flaws will be magnified and then we will see just how much people think he should earn or how much more he is needed than Rajon Rondo.

And this is why I don't buy the whole contract year thing.  He is still taking the shots he took before.  Just more of them happen to be going in, and he is being given more opportunity to make good plays in between the dumb ones. 

[ScoobyDoo]

Count me as one who liked Bradley from the start. His defense was always great and he had good form on his shot - even if he wasn't always hitting them at a high rate.

Avery has made a nice steady progression on both sides of the ball and he's still very young.

I understand perhaps trading him for a legit sized stud two guard but the main things that make me hesitate are:

1. It is so hard to find a guy who can completely disrupt a game on the defensive end, whether it's in the back court or front court. His energy on D lifts the whole team.

2. He just plays like a true Celtic - old school style.
 
3. He and Rondo had sick defensive stats together.

Ultimately, I see Crawford as the perfect mix for Rondo - a guy who can come in a really spread the floor from the pint spot when Rondo is struggling with that.

If we could find a 6'4' to 6' 6" young guy in the draft who is a good 3 point shooter and a decent defender - doesn't have to be an all star, just very solid - I would say invest in Avery and give in the right mix in a back up like Crawford will be for Rondo. 

[chambers]

Ok, vast exhageration of a Player's ability based on a short early sample size...fair enough, I've seen this  before.

Let me just clarify something...Jordan Crawford right now is averaging 14 PPG, 5.5 APG and 3 RPG.

Last season Rondo averaged 14 PPG, 11 APG and 5.5 RPG.

Rajon Rondo is an elite PG in this league, one of the All-Time leaders in triple doubles (already), and a multi-time All Star and All Defensive team selection.  Crawford will never make an All Defensive team, and I seriously doubt he'll ever make an All Star team.

Don't get me wrong, I am really thrilled with what I've seen from Crawford so far this season, but he's not a star.  I think his celing is Jamal Crawford (an elite 6th man or solid starter).

I think he'd be an absolutely fantastic 6th man for us backing up both Bradley (at SG) and Rondo (at PG) for about 30 minutes a night.  I wouldn't start him over Rondo or over Bradley because he doesn't have Rondo's skill level or (IMO) Bradley's potential.

Jordan Crawford averages 30 minutes a game to get.Those stats. Rondo got 37.4 minutes a game last season to get those stats.
Hence the per 36 minute comparison being the fairest method IMO.

Again, he'll have to keep this up all season but his numbers are overall better than Jrue Holidays All Star season last year.

If you are Danny what do you do?
If Jrue Holiday garners a lottery pick then Crawford should get a nice 10-15 pick.(maybe not this particular draft.) He might even turn Jeff Green from a top 12 pick to a top 6 pick ie a package for Green, Crawford, Brooks for a top 7 draft pick.

[chambers]

What worries me about Crawford is his 2-3 times a game that he is still jacking 3's when more intelligent basketball plays were there for the taking.

He is miraculously hitting those threes but 26 foot three pointers when Sully or Bass is down low with a PG on them after running a 4-1 switch is dumb basketball and I am still seeing that type of stuff from Crawford.

When the shots stop dropping, those flaws will be magnified and then we will see just how much people think he should earn or how much more he is needed than Rajon Rondo.

He's taking less of those shots overall though, and replacing them with passes or assists. You'll usually only see him take those enormous threes with less than 10 seconds on the clock. I think because of our fantastic ball rotations he's taking more of them wide open instead of the fall away chuck that we're used to seeing.
he

compared to his last season as a starter in Washington (2012), he's taking less shots in four more minutes per game and his assists have gone up 2 per 36 mins as well.

I think he's changed his game with Stevens and Rondos mentoring.

[BballTim]

What worries me about Crawford is his 2-3 times a game that he is still jacking 3's when more intelligent basketball plays were there for the taking.

He is miraculously hitting those threes but 26 foot three pointers when Sully or Bass is down low with a PG on them after running a 4-1 switch is dumb basketball and I am still seeing that type of stuff from Crawford.

When the shots stop dropping, those flaws will be magnified and then we will see just how much people think he should earn or how much more he is needed than Rajon Rondo.

He's taking less of those shots overall though, and replacing them with passes or assists. You'll usually only see him take those enormous threes with less than 10 seconds on the clock. I think because of our fantastic ball rotations he's taking more of them wide open instead of the fall away chuck that we're used to seeing.
he

compared to his last season as a starter in Washington (2012), he's taking less shots in four more minutes per game and his assists have gone up 2 per 36 mins as well.

I think he's changed his game with Stevens and Rondos mentoring.

  His game is improving somewhat but those enormous threes late in the shot clock are part of what I was talking about. The fact that your point guard is taking long desperation threes late in the shot clock is indicative of the kind of problem he runs into trying to run the offense. People always complain about Rondo holding the ball until he can make the perfect pass. Imagine the complaints if he held the ball until he could launch a 27 foot three pointer.

[D.o.s.]

People always complain about Rondo holding the ball until he can make the perfect pass. Imagine the complaints if he held the ball until he could launch a 27 foot three pointer.

[sunnyd656]

Lets not forget, Steez got A vote for 6th man of the year last year

Rondo hasn't had a single 6th man of the year vote, so the obvious answer is Crawford.

[sunnyd656]

Also, if the above post didn't give off enough sarcasm.....

The fact that this thread exists actually bothers me

[dark_lord]

i thought this was a facetious title.....good lord.  you keep rondo!