I want to get the feel for what you guys think about this now before he's come back. Just the general idea of signing are soon to be 29 year old slightly flawed, championship point guard coming off ACL injury. This single issue will go a long way in determining if we should explore these wild trade ideas.
29 isn't that old. If he was 3-4 years older it would be a legitimate question.
This is the real tough thing to predict with Rondo. You are right that 29 isn't too old. But, it is just old enough that certain concerns come up that don't come up if he were 26. Here are the two sides of the argument as I see it:
Con:
-His greatness largely comes from his athleticism, and it is inevitable that he will start losing that as he gets past 30
I'd say it comes more from his vision, BBIQ and passing ability.
Rondo's scoring ability is already limited. If his athleticism takes a big hit in the coming years he will be less and less able to score. He relies on blowing past defenders.
Not so much. The percentage of his jumpers (compared to scoring at the rim) went up in each of his previous 4 seasons to the point that he scores more from jumpers than from the inside. It would be much more of an issue for 2009 Rondo than 2013 Rondo.
Right people gave him space to stop the drive and force a jumpshot. Once his speed declines they can play more up in him, hence why I said they will further limit his scoring ability. I don't see how this is debatable.
If they play more up on him it makes it easier for him to get assists, so they're playing to his strengths. People play off of him as much to cheat towards the recipients of his passes as any other reason. They might limit Rondo's scoring, but his scoring isn't the defenses biggest concern.
So when defenders are more up on rondo giving him less space to operate he will be able to better see the floor and make passes, I don't buy that.
We see it in games on a fairly regular basis. People only seem to notice when players give Rondo space but the reality is teams try various defenses against Rondo, ranging from laying way off of him to double teaming him when he has the ball. When defenders are more up on Rondo it prevents them from helping out as quickly when he passes the ball and opens up the lane a bit as well. Also, Rondo probably sees the floor better than anyone else in the league. He doesn't need to better see the floor, he's fine already.
I am missing the point you're trying to make I guess, every player's game diminishes in a way as they grow older, father time and all. If Rondo returns with the same jumpshot he will be that much more of a liability because a lot of his own personal scoring comes from his speed and quickness. Sure he'll be able to pass well still, but I think he could become a liability in the final 2-3 years of the deal.
Nash sustained his play so well because of his shooting, even though hes always been slower he is a double threat to pass or shoot, and when he got even slower he still had both those skills. Rondo will still be able to pass with the best of them, but I don't think there's any debate he'll start to struggle more and more to score with age. That isn't until hes over 30 though.