C's "very open to extending Rondo before 2015"

[BleedGreen1989]

This makes sense regardless of the team's plans for Rondo.

If they want to keep him, it's best for them to lock him up ASAP, especially since his market value is probably down right now.

If they want to trade him at some point, locking him up also makes sense because his trade value will be higher if he's got a longer term contract.  Right now, a team would be trading for just one full season of healthy Rondo.

It also makes sense to say this now even if they are planning to trade him this year without ever pursuing an extension. It's a vote of confidence in his future health.

I am not reading anything into this. Nor, I suspect, are any GMs around the league.

Exactly. The team should say this stuff to drum up his health as the trade deadline approaches.
It doesn't even mean they're looking to trade him but it might sweeten any potential offers that teams are preparing.
Don't buy into it for 30 seconds.

You don't buy a story claiming the Celtics want to extend Rajon Rondo 24 hours after naming him team captain?

Sounds legit...

[SHAQATTACK]

Better extend him....

I just bought a new 25.00 Rondo shirt

Sheese.....what is Danny thinking ....

Money don't grow on trees

[BballTim]

This makes sense regardless of the team's plans for Rondo.

If they want to keep him, it's best for them to lock him up ASAP, especially since his market value is probably down right now.

If they want to trade him at some point, locking him up also makes sense because his trade value will be higher if he's got a longer term contract.  Right now, a team would be trading for just one full season of healthy Rondo.

It also makes sense to say this now even if they are planning to trade him this year without ever pursuing an extension. It's a vote of confidence in his future health.

I am not reading anything into this. Nor, I suspect, are any GMs around the league.

Exactly. The team should say this stuff to drum up his health as the trade deadline approaches.
It doesn't even mean they're looking to trade him but it might sweeten any potential offers that teams are preparing.
Don't buy into it for 30 seconds.

  Trying to boost his trade value by pretending to negotiate with him would be a more useful strategy for a head case or a malcontent. than someone coming back from injury. Whoever's going to trade for him will see him play many times before they do and will have their doctors examine him as well. The fact that the Celts are negotiating an extension with him will have little to no effect on their opinion of his health.

[obnoxiousmime]

Gasol would seem to be the most likely target, along with Love. They both play for teams with uncertain futures and aren't too old. I would be a lot more excited about Love if a defensive C like Gasol (or Embiid) was in the picture.

Actually, Gasol would be 30 years, 9 months old at the start of the 2015 season. That would be putting a lot of pressure on the team to win immediately. If you look at Pau's production, he's been slowing down the last few years at ages 30-33. Marc fortunately has less mileage but I wonder if the downslope of his career will be starting soon.

Some of the other names Deveney listed are unrealistic. Aldridge and Hibbert and Thompson are not going anywhere. Tyson Chandler will be 33 years old. Millsap is more of a borderline max talent. Faried and Jordan are not really versatile enough to be worth big deals, IMO.

Also, one thing obvious from these potential FA lists is the shortage of shooting talent at the wing positions. The Celtics need guys who can shoot to complement Rondo. One of those guys needs to also be able to create his own shot. This is the constantly brought-up "We are one dominating SG away from being a contender" problem.

[LooseCannon]

Also, one thing obvious from these potential FA lists is the shortage of shooting talent at the wing positions. The Celtics need guys who can shoot to complement Rondo. One of those guys needs to also be able to create his own shot. This is the constantly brought-up "We are one dominating SG away from being a contender" problem.

I just don't agree that the Celtics need a dominating SG.  I especially think the team doesn't need a ball-dominant, iso-ball scoring wing like some of the names people throw out there.  The Celtics need wings who can catch-and-shoot, especially on threes, and play off the ball and those guys had better play defense.

[BballTim]

Also, one thing obvious from these potential FA lists is the shortage of shooting talent at the wing positions. The Celtics need guys who can shoot to complement Rondo. One of those guys needs to also be able to create his own shot. This is the constantly brought-up "We are one dominating SG away from being a contender" problem.

I just don't agree that the Celtics need a dominating SG.  I especially think the team doesn't need a ball-dominant, iso-ball scoring wing like some of the names people throw out there.  The Celtics need wings who can catch-and-shoot, especially on threes, and play off the ball and those guys had better play defense.

  This was something that came up in threads about how quickly we could get back to contention or how close we'd be if we'd gotten Asik. We definitely need an upgrade in the middle right now. If we get a good center we'll have a strong starting five of C/Sully/Green/AB/RR. That's a strong defensive group that's allso capable offensively. Probably top 3-4 in the conference, assuming decent backups.

  The question becomes, how do you get the team to the next level? You just got a new center, Rondo's one of the best PGs in the league and Sully's developing into a good player, better IMO than JG or AB. You could bring in a pf much better than Sully or you could upgrade either JG or AB. It's obviously easier to upgrade lesser players.

  It's also worth considering, in those circumstances, how much you could improve the team by keeping JG and AB and adding a player on  Green's level to back up both spots, but it makes more sense to try and bring in a top level wing player if you get a decent center.

[azzenfrost]

It might take a combo of Green, Sully and Bradley to get that C.

[LooseCannon]

Also, one thing obvious from these potential FA lists is the shortage of shooting talent at the wing positions. The Celtics need guys who can shoot to complement Rondo. One of those guys needs to also be able to create his own shot. This is the constantly brought-up "We are one dominating SG away from being a contender" problem.

I just don't agree that the Celtics need a dominating SG.  I especially think the team doesn't need a ball-dominant, iso-ball scoring wing like some of the names people throw out there.  The Celtics need wings who can catch-and-shoot, especially on threes, and play off the ball and those guys had better play defense.

  This was something that came up in threads about how quickly we could get back to contention or how close we'd be if we'd gotten Asik. We definitely need an upgrade in the middle right now. If we get a good center we'll have a strong starting five of C/Sully/Green/AB/RR. That's a strong defensive group that's allso capable offensively. Probably top 3-4 in the conference, assuming decent backups.

  The question becomes, how do you get the team to the next level? You just got a new center, Rondo's one of the best PGs in the league and Sully's developing into a good player, better IMO than JG or AB. You could bring in a pf much better than Sully or you could upgrade either JG or AB. It's obviously easier to upgrade lesser players.

  It's also worth considering, in those circumstances, how much you could improve the team by keeping JG and AB and adding a player on  Green's level to back up both spots, but it makes more sense to try and bring in a top level wing player if you get a decent center.

If I'm looking to add a wing, it would be a sixth man of the year candidate who can back up both SF and SG or who would start at SF and push Green into that sixth man role backing up three positions.

I really think that Ainge is open to the idea of chasing a championship with more of an ensemble roster where Rondo is the best player instead of the more top-heavy, multiple-superstar approaches that have been successful for other teams.

[BballTim]

It might take a combo of Green, Sully and Bradley to get that C.

  Or it might not. That's wildly more than anyone was offering for Asik, for example.

[bleedGREENdon]

2015 starting 5

Rondo
Avery(can shoot the lights out the ball now)
Wiggins(growing up to a star
Love ( sully backup)
Gasol

Chip?

[obnoxiousmime]

Also, one thing obvious from these potential FA lists is the shortage of shooting talent at the wing positions. The Celtics need guys who can shoot to complement Rondo. One of those guys needs to also be able to create his own shot. This is the constantly brought-up "We are one dominating SG away from being a contender" problem.

I just don't agree that the Celtics need a dominating SG.  I especially think the team doesn't need a ball-dominant, iso-ball scoring wing like some of the names people throw out there.  The Celtics need wings who can catch-and-shoot, especially on threes, and play off the ball and those guys had better play defense.

  This was something that came up in threads about how quickly we could get back to contention or how close we'd be if we'd gotten Asik. We definitely need an upgrade in the middle right now. If we get a good center we'll have a strong starting five of C/Sully/Green/AB/RR. That's a strong defensive group that's allso capable offensively. Probably top 3-4 in the conference, assuming decent backups.

  The question becomes, how do you get the team to the next level? You just got a new center, Rondo's one of the best PGs in the league and Sully's developing into a good player, better IMO than JG or AB. You could bring in a pf much better than Sully or you could upgrade either JG or AB. It's obviously easier to upgrade lesser players.

  It's also worth considering, in those circumstances, how much you could improve the team by keeping JG and AB and adding a player on  Green's level to back up both spots, but it makes more sense to try and bring in a top level wing player if you get a decent center.

If I'm looking to add a wing, it would be a sixth man of the year candidate who can back up both SF and SG or who would start at SF and push Green into that sixth man role backing up three positions.

I really think that Ainge is open to the idea of chasing a championship with more of an ensemble roster where Rondo is the best player instead of the more top-heavy, multiple-superstar approaches that have been successful for other teams.

An "ensemble roster where Rondo is the best player"? Say hello to a second round exit at best. I don't want a Phoenix Suns-esque team, they never win in the playoffs. At some point you need someone who can create their own shot when defenses get tough.

[BballTim]

Also, one thing obvious from these potential FA lists is the shortage of shooting talent at the wing positions. The Celtics need guys who can shoot to complement Rondo. One of those guys needs to also be able to create his own shot. This is the constantly brought-up "We are one dominating SG away from being a contender" problem.

I just don't agree that the Celtics need a dominating SG.  I especially think the team doesn't need a ball-dominant, iso-ball scoring wing like some of the names people throw out there.  The Celtics need wings who can catch-and-shoot, especially on threes, and play off the ball and those guys had better play defense.

  This was something that came up in threads about how quickly we could get back to contention or how close we'd be if we'd gotten Asik. We definitely need an upgrade in the middle right now. If we get a good center we'll have a strong starting five of C/Sully/Green/AB/RR. That's a strong defensive group that's allso capable offensively. Probably top 3-4 in the conference, assuming decent backups.

  The question becomes, how do you get the team to the next level? You just got a new center, Rondo's one of the best PGs in the league and Sully's developing into a good player, better IMO than JG or AB. You could bring in a pf much better than Sully or you could upgrade either JG or AB. It's obviously easier to upgrade lesser players.

  It's also worth considering, in those circumstances, how much you could improve the team by keeping JG and AB and adding a player on  Green's level to back up both spots, but it makes more sense to try and bring in a top level wing player if you get a decent center.

If I'm looking to add a wing, it would be a sixth man of the year candidate who can back up both SF and SG or who would start at SF and push Green into that sixth man role backing up three positions.

I really think that Ainge is open to the idea of chasing a championship with more of an ensemble roster where Rondo is the best player instead of the more top-heavy, multiple-superstar approaches that have been successful for other teams.

An "ensemble roster where Rondo is the best player"? Say hello to a second round exit at best. I don't want a Phoenix Suns-esque team, they never win in the playoffs. At some point you need someone who can create their own shot when defenses get tough.

  Or say hello to the 2010 team that got to game 7 of the finals.We could use a player who can create his own shot but Rondo can create his own shot or shots for others and, as his game matures, Sully on the low post should be a solid late-game option.

[LooseCannon]

I really think that Ainge is open to the idea of chasing a championship with more of an ensemble roster where Rondo is the best player instead of the more top-heavy, multiple-superstar approaches that have been successful for other teams.

An "ensemble roster where Rondo is the best player"? Say hello to a second round exit at best. I don't want a Phoenix Suns-esque team, they never win in the playoffs. At some point you need someone who can create their own shot when defenses get tough.

I want to focus on putting together a tough defense.  I have no problems with putting together the sort of roster where an end-of-game isolation is almost never an option.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Better extend him....

I just bought a new 25.00 Rondo shirt

Sheese.....what is Danny thinking ....

Money don't grow on trees