Um, why would you trade one of the best PG's and passers in the entire NBA? I've seen hundreds of rationalizations for that, and NONE of them balance out or even come close, IMO. Unless it's part of some incredible blockbuster trade to bring a true superstar with a future to Boston, I see nothing that would warrant even considering it.
You trade him because you, as the GM, believe it would make the team better, either from a roster standpoint or a bookkeeping standpoint.
The same reason you, as the GM, trade anyone else. That's why.
I haven't seen a lot of proposed trades including Rondo that are likely to make the team better from a roster standpoint. As to the bookkeeping standpoint, personally, I'm not in this whole Celtics fan thing to see Wyc and Co. save some bucks. In the end, I don't really think getting rid of Rondo helps their bottom line too much anyway. That dude's a fairly big draw.
That's not really the point, though. Where each of us draws the line at the worth of Rajon Rondo isn't all that important--because it's going to be different for each poster. We all know BBallTim isn't going to trade Rondo for 2001 Shaq and 1993 Michael Jordan and every first round draft pick over the next 20 years, and we know that LB will trade him for a bag of doritos if the 7-11 will take Brandon Bass too.
All those dudes are convinced that they're right, and none of them are Danny Ainge, so the question of "why trade him" can't have anything to do with value. You trade him to make the team better. If you can't trade him to make the team better, you don't. QED.
And bookkeeping insofar as things like the salary cap are concerned,--the roster, free agency, MLE's and other exceptions, and so forth.
I think that's me. What I want us to get for Rondo and what I think we will get for Rondo are two very different things. If I was in Ainge's seat, I'd probably push hard on acquiring multiple young prospects (22 and under) and unprotected first rounders. If they will give me fat expiring contracts and take on Wallace and Bass, that's a major bonus. That's not doritos. I just think a lot of posters here either #1 - have irrational expectations of what you could get for Rondo and #2 - Have trouble seeing the big picture.
I'd call up the Bobcats and offer Rondo+Bass+Wallace for Gordon/Sessions expiring + Kemba, Biyombo (21 years old) and MKG (20 years old) and multiple unprotected 1st rounders.
That's a pu-pu platter you can't refuse.
Then Boston bottoms out... lands Embiid (19 years old).
Now you're looking at a pretty sick collection of young talent across the board and boatloads of capspace. This summer tell LeBron to come to Boston and bring his buddies. Draft picks for days, bro... and Championships for the next 20 years straight. It's all how you think about it, I guess.
The problem with this viewpoint Brd is that we can keep Rondo and still have draft picks for days and still have room for Lebron. To say that Lebron would rather play with some kids outta college over Rondo and pick 'potential' over the games best passer and arguably best floor general is a little far fetched- no matter how great that draftee potential may be.
You share a similar 'new school' approach to me, one which strikes fear in the hearts of many Celtics fans that cringe at the thought of change and hold on to Rondo as their only hope of staving off a long, tedious and painful rebuild from ground up.
Rondo is the rock between a nice NBA team and a hard place for Celtics fans.
It's also fair to admit that you can't get point guards with RR's IQ and rebounding ability with 90% of top 5 picks- let alone number one picks.
I'm all for trading him if the price is right but I think you're undervaluing him if you think the Bobcats deal is reasonable value with Biyombo as some kind of prospect- their own pick currently projects outside the lottery. Obviously the majority of Rondo fans here overrate him in your eyes (and mine too) so it's all subjective.
I couldn't see Ainge giving him up for anything less than a premium lottery pick in the top 5.
I think if he gets traded he'll go to the Kings for their first round pick. They're pretty much the only lottery team that has the pieces we want- that would actually follow through with giving up the farm for Rondo. Their pick currently projects at #4 which is pretty sweet.
Something like Rondo +Wallace+ Bass for
Marcus Thornton
Ben Mclemore
Jason Thompson
Carl Landry
Derrick Williams
2014 SAC unprotected first rounder (top 5)
-The Williams+Bass trade would have to be a separate move but is doable like Pierce to Brooklyn was.
I'd do this trade on draft night after ensuring we stink terribly so we end up with two potential top 5 picks.
Of course the above would hinge on whether or not Danny has decided to go balls deep for the 2014 and 15 drafts.
I'd see him then trying to re-sign Bradley on the Cheap, and then move Green+Bradley for a 2015 top 10 pick. With Sully and Olynyk the only survivors.
I still believe it's more like a 90% chance he attempts to put pieces around Rondo via trade/free agency and uses our picks as trade cogs.
The speculation is the part that brings us the most fun and pain at the same time

Good ol' Celtics blog.