Say you are Rondo

[Ogaju]

do you embrace the tank and slowly work yourself back to from, or do you go all out to win meaningless games risking re-injury in the process, just so your team can lose out on a chance to bounce right back in the draft???

[chenaren]

I don't think Rondo would care that much about those college young bloods. He just wants to enjoy the game and gets paid.

[Tr1boy]

do you embrace the tank and slowly work yourself back to from, or do you go all out to win meaningless games risking re-injury in the process, just so your team can lose out on a chance to bounce right back in the draft???

He is going all out.  Without two of the big three, he is not looking as effective bc he has no room to operate. He has little to no room to shoot open jumpers he was able to before.  On defense he is getting killed in the 2nd half. I hope its due to the fact he is still not 100 percent.

Danny is going to give him firepower in the summer , and he has an incentive to play hard due to free agency the season after, but if he can't help the team, he will be traded by 2015 deadline. 

[Boris Badenov]

If I'm Rondo, I'm playing to put myself in the best possible position - physically and mentally - by the end of the year, and not worrying about where the Celtics are in the standings at all. Of course there's normal competitiveness of wanting to win games (and I think Rondo is one of the more competitive guys around). But I don't see RR risking his recovery for a victory.

This might mean playing harder on nights when his body feels good, and taking it easy when his body tells him to.

Rondo doesn't know whether he's going to be around next year - why be concerned with helping/hurting the C's chances at Jabari Parker when he could get traded on draft day 2014?

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

It doesn't matter if I'm RR or not, it's clear what he is trying to do if you see how he reacted after the loss. I just hope he doesn't get in trouble by the league b.c his headband almost hit the ref after he threw it. he was slamming it toward the ground but it when a little far LOL. He isn't happy at all. I'm sure everyone got an earful in the lockers tonight!

[fairweatherfan]

I am Rondo.

[green147]

Anyone feel like the Lakers are going to try to trade their pick (assuming in the top 6) for Rondo? I'm not saying DA would take it, but they have an aging Kobe, they're saying they want to keep Gasol, and Kobe has made it clear he wants to play with Rondo. Makes a lot of sense from their perspective to go after a star instead of some young gun who'll take a while to contribute. Sorry I know it's off topic, but I was just thinking about that during this game after the announcers were talking about how the Lakers are averse to blowing it up.

[Boris Badenov]

Anyone feel like the Lakers are going to try to trade their pick (assuming in the top 6) for Rondo? I'm not saying DA would take it, but they have an aging Kobe, they're saying they want to keep Gasol, and Kobe has made it clear he wants to play with Rondo. Makes a lot of sense from their perspective to go after a star instead of some young gun who'll take a while to contribute. Sorry I know it's off topic, but I was just thinking about that during this game after the announcers were talking about how the Lakers are averse to blowing it up.

I agree, it's not crazy. Kobe and Rondo seem to have respect for each other.

Even in a stacked draft the Lakers lose less than anyone else by giving up a lottery pick. They will have their pick of established stars through trades and FA...forever.

Technically the Lakers would have to draft the player and then trade him, for what that's worth. Or bring in Phoenix, who owns the rights to the Lakers' 2015 pick.

[Celtics18]

Anyone feel like the Lakers are going to try to trade their pick (assuming in the top 6) for Rondo? I'm not saying DA would take it, but they have an aging Kobe, they're saying they want to keep Gasol, and Kobe has made it clear he wants to play with Rondo. Makes a lot of sense from their perspective to go after a star instead of some young gun who'll take a while to contribute. Sorry I know it's off topic, but I was just thinking about that during this game after the announcers were talking about how the Lakers are averse to blowing it up.

I agree, it's not crazy. Kobe and Rondo seem to have respect for each other.

Even in a stacked draft the Lakers lose less than anyone else by giving up a lottery pick. They will have their pick of established stars through trades and FA...forever.

Technically the Lakers would have to draft the player and then trade him, for what that's worth. Or bring in Phoenix, who owns the rights to the Lakers' 2015 pick.

I think they will probably stick with Marshall.  They'll get more bang for their buck that way. 

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

Anyone feel like the Lakers are going to try to trade their pick (assuming in the top 6) for Rondo? I'm not saying DA would take it, but they have an aging Kobe, they're saying they want to keep Gasol, and Kobe has made it clear he wants to play with Rondo. Makes a lot of sense from their perspective to go after a star instead of some young gun who'll take a while to contribute. Sorry I know it's off topic, but I was just thinking about that during this game after the announcers were talking about how the Lakers are averse to blowing it up.

No. I won't go as far as saying we won't do a big deal with them ever but I don't think Danny would give them RR. LOL for a top 6 pick? Please, we are in a running at this point to have just as much a chance as they do for a top 6 pick.


Anyway, 2015 is the draft that will be what this one is hyped to be IMO. The players people are saying that will come out, won't be. I'm willing to bet Parker and Embiid aren't coming out. I don't think Wiggins is but if any, he would be the one to. I got a feeling a lot of people (tankers especially) are going to be disappointed come draft time.

[sunnyd656]

I honestly hope after tonight's game, we can see Rondo can make plays that he has always made. Enough of the "he played with the big 3". So many open looks for people. Was honestly a good game for us, 9/10 we win this game from what I saw. They hit tough contested jumped, and we missed open ones. Simple as that.

Rondo has said TWICE now, he doesn't like change and would like to extend his contract. Do I think that means he won't leave, no. I'm not an idiot. Do I think he means it, yes.

One thing, when assuming everyone is like a Celticsblogger, that we all forget, is that a strange, nobody player, has called him a hall of famer. Not when he was winning championships, becoming a starter, but within the last MONTH. Who called him that? Kobe Bryant http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/01/18/kobe-includes-rajon-rondo-when-discussing-future-hall-of-famers-who-played-for-2010-celtics/ .......... meh, but what does he know. /sarcasm off

Can he score? A little. Can he even drive in the lane to make a semi-difficult layup? Not yet. Is he a hall of famer? Way to early to tell. Should we trade him for the future? Absolutely not.

Can anyone go look at his shooting %'s and tell me he can't shoot? That's arguably me disproving the Bible, and Ken Hamm going "lolnoudumb" #gobillnye.

Go search "Paul Pierce trade" and read all the articles of people saying he should be traded (before 2008 obviously). Aka.. take the next year or two, and take the championship, or at a minimum the contender, in 4+ years max.

[hpantazo]

I've noticed that Rondo takes certain matchups personally, and gets frustrated when his body doesn't respond the way it used to and his opponent gets the better of him. He is trying hard, he just isn't anywhere near 100% yet and if anything he tries harder because of that frustration on some nights.