Is Rondo worth a max contract?

[Bankshot]

As of today, no.  If when he's fully healthy he shows that he's improved his shot and free throws, sure.  If not, heck no.

[obnoxiousmime]

http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story/_/id/10340941/a-rajon-rondo-contract-extension-boston-celtics-makes-sense-eventually

Forsberg breakdown of Rondo contract options:

This summer, Boston has two potential extension options for Rondo. The team can tack on a three-year, $44.8 million extension to the final year of his current deal without a signing bonus, which would pay him the scheduled $12.9 million in 2014-15, $13.9 million in 2015-16; $14.9 million in 2016-17; and $16 million in 2017-18. Or, if Boston can stomach a signing bonus payment of $6.6 million, those annual salaries would drop to $11.7 million, $12.5 million and $13.4 million in the extended seasons.

Allowing Rondo to get to unrestricted free agency is a bit more daunting. As a Bird Rights free agent after the 2014-15 season, Rondo could command as much as a five-year max-money deal from Boston, which would put him in line for a potential $100-plus million contract.

Using an estimate of $18.2 million for a first-year max figure (again, the actual number will depend on the cap that season), Rondo's salary charges would grow to $19.6 million in 2016-17, $20.9 million in 2017-18, $22.3 million in 2018-19, and $23.7 million in 2019-20, when he'd be 34 years old.

The signing bonus extension option, please. Rondo making a max deal is way too much. If Rondo is intent on taking this to free agency then sayonara.

[Enzzo]

As of today, no.  If when he's fully healthy he shows that he's improved his shot and free throws, sure.  If not, heck no.

Exactly. In his current state, no. When/if he starts looking like the old Rondo is when they should start to consider. If he shows some improvement to his FT% then absolutely worth max contract.

[Evantime34]

It's tough to tell, how much he is worth until he is 100% healthy. If he turns back to old Rondo (great games mixed in with games where he decides he doesn't want to go to the hole) then I think he's worth 13-15 MM. If he can consistently attack the hole and play well the majority of games I think he's a 15-18 MM guy. If he never returns to the quickness he had before but he continues to hand out a near league leading amount of assists I think his current contract is good value.

It will all depend on what we see the rest of the year, but as of now I would prefer to sign him to an extension this offseason. However, it makes no sense for Rondo to sign such an extension so I expect him to get to free agency in 2015.

[incoherent]

Simply put, Rondo does not score enough to get max money.

Look at the max money contracts, look at their ppg.  You get max money in this league if you put the ball in the hoop.  Rondo doesn't do that.

He's worth less then max, but still worth a lot.

[Enzzo]

Simply put, Rondo does not score enough to get max money.

Look at the max money contracts, look at their ppg.  You get max money in this league if you put the ball in the hoop.  Rondo doesn't do that.

He's worth less then max, but still worth a lot.

It's different because he's not on a team with consistent scorers. But Rondo has always been a playmaker, you get open he gets you the ball. While he's not a great scorer, he is an all around great player that improves the team as a whole. It would be nice to see him get more PPG, but he is a pass-first PG and he's a [dang] good one.

[pablohoney]

If Rondo gets to free agency healthy and in peak form he will get the max.

If Rondo gets hurt next season and misses second half of season and never shows the explosiveness he once had, he might be lucky to get MLE.

It would be very risky for him to walk away from guaranteed 45 million extension but the payoff could be huge.   If I were him I would take extension.   I don't see the Celtics wanting to pay him 20 million, but if the next two drafts work out and Rondo returns to form they may give him that 5 year deal after all.   I think Danny will push hard for extension  and will risk letting him walk rather than pursuing a trade.   No way we get the best player in a trade.

[D.o.s.]

If Rondo gets to free agency healthy and in peak form he will get the max.

If Rondo gets hurt next season and misses second half of season and never shows the explosiveness he once had, he might be lucky to get MLE.

It would be very risky for him to walk away from guaranteed 45 million extension but the payoff could be huge.   If I were him I would take extension.   I don't see the Celtics wanting to pay him 20 million, but if the next two drafts work out and Rondo returns to form they may give him that 5 year deal after all.   I think Danny will push hard for extension  and will risk letting him walk rather than pursuing a trade.   No way we get the best player in a trade.

I agree with your first two bullet points.

Your username is also fantastic.

[Jailan34]

Simply put, Rondo does not score enough to get max money.

Look at the max money contracts, look at their ppg.  You get max money in this league if you put the ball in the hoop.  Rondo doesn't do that.

He's worth less then max, but still worth a lot.

It's different because he's not on a team with consistent scorers. But Rondo has always been a playmaker, you get open he gets you the ball. While he's not a great scorer, he is an all around great player that improves the team as a whole. It would be nice to see him get more PPG, but he is a pass-first PG and he's a [dang] good one.

Right, but the answer to this question is easy. Does RR deserve the same kind of money as LeBron or KD or Dirk or prime garnett? Of course not, they are in different leagues. RR is a great player to have on your team you can win with him but he won't win it all for you like a LeBron can.

[Fafnir]

Simply put, Rondo does not score enough to get max money.

Look at the max money contracts, look at their ppg.  You get max money in this league if you put the ball in the hoop.  Rondo doesn't do that.

He's worth less then max, but still worth a lot.

It's different because he's not on a team with consistent scorers. But Rondo has always been a playmaker, you get open he gets you the ball. While he's not a great scorer, he is an all around great player that improves the team as a whole. It would be nice to see him get more PPG, but he is a pass-first PG and he's a [dang] good one.

Right, but the answer to this question is easy. Does RR deserve the same kind of money as LeBron or KD or Dirk or prime garnett? Of course not, they are in different leagues. RR is a great player to have on your team you can win with him but he won't win it all for you like a LeBron can.

This ignores the economics of the NBA.

Young KG, Shaq,Young TD, LeBron, KD, etc were/are all worth much MORE than the maximum salary. Two to three times as much depending on how you look at it.

There are what 5-8 of those guys in the league at any given time, maybe more maybe less depending on the year.

So what are the other 25 teams to do with stars who aren't worth surplus value to "max" salary but are still all-nba caliber players?

Does Rondo deserve as much as LeBron? Nope. But LeBron deserves between 30 and 50 million dollars not the 16.75 or so his current contract has averaged. (assuming he opts out)

[The One]

Absolutely.

Rondo is still in his prime, and when healthy is a top 10 player in the NBA. The C's got one of the biggest bargain contracts in the league with what Rondo is currently signed to.

He's top 10 only when he's locked in...but he meanders too much for my taste.

[bobbyv]

If he played like playoff Rondo everyday certainly. At the moment normal Rondo is probably a $15-16 mil player per year.

[obnoxiousmime]

So what are the other 25 teams to do with stars who aren't worth surplus value to "max" salary but are still all-nba caliber players?

Trade them to a team willing to overpay for them.

[Fafnir]

So what are the other 25 teams to do with stars who aren't worth surplus value to "max" salary but are still all-nba caliber players?

Trade them to a team willing to overpay for them.

So instead of extending Blake Griffin, LMA, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Paul Pierce, etc, etc.

Teams should trade them because they're not MVP caliber but have contract demands near the maximum?

Just because LeBron, Durant, etc are underpaid doesn't make anyone paid similar amounts or more to them overpaid.

[LooseCannon]

To people who go off of box score stats, no.  To people who use advanced metrics, maybe, depending on what data they use.  I suspect that the Celtics' in-house data tells Ainge that Rondo is more valuable than the stats and analysis that is easily available to the general public would have us believe.