Reality Check...Draft Smart/Trade Rondo

[DraftSmart33]

I enjoy reading the blog and have contributed over the years, but I have to say over the last few weeks I have been blown away but the thoughts and posts by some of my fellow Celtics fans.  Trade for J.Smith (Seriously...again)  Rondo for Harden (Seriously..never going to happen) Trade Rondo for Westbrook...Trade Rondo to Houston for Lin, Parsons, Asik, 3 1st's and oh yeah they'll take back Wallace (What the #%).

The truth is simply this...We need a top 3 pick and if we don't land one of those coveted slots we should draft Marcus Smart.  He has elite ability and offers the Celtics something the NBA is built on...mismatches.  At 6'4 and 215 Smart is a tank that defends, gets to the line and shots FT well.  His singular incident is blown way out of proportion and should only be a warning to us all that we are judge severely for missteps and quickly forgotten for best intentions (staying in school to improve his game).

Next we hope that Houston is willing to take Rondo for some package including Parsons but should expect a deal that only returns us Lin and Asik.  A PG even one as talented and accomplished as Rondo in a dime a dozen in this era of the NBA and unfortunately he has less and less value to us and to others as each year passes by.  And when you argue Rondo is truly elite run through the list of NBA teams and their players running the point....Lilliard, Westbrook, Williams, Paul, Curry, Holiday, Bledsoe, Dragic, Lowry, Carter-Williams, Parker, Teague, Rose, Connely..etc.

It might look something like this..

PG- Lin/Smart (whoever is better...Lin a one year rental)
SG- Bradley/Smart/Johnson (Bradley better take it on the cheap for 60 games a season)
SF -Green/Warran/Wallace
PF- Sullinger/Olynyk
C-  Asik/Humphries/Anthony

Contender? Nope  Playoff Team in the East? Yup...add Parsons and the right Free Agents and most teams in the East won't want us in the playoffs.

If the ping pong balls roll right it looks like this

PG- Rondo/Pressy
SG- Bradley/Johnson
SF- Green/Wallace/
PF- Sullinger/Olynyk
C- Embid/Anthony

Which Team is better?  Short Term?  Long Term?

[bleedGREENdon]

I enjoy reading the blog and have contributed over the years, but I have to say over the last few weeks I have been blown away but the thoughts and posts by some of my fellow Celtics fans.  Trade for J.Smith (Seriously...again)  Rondo for Harden (Seriously..never going to happen) Trade Rondo for Westbrook...Trade Rondo to Houston for Lin, Parsons, Asik, 3 1st's and oh yeah they'll take back Wallace (****).

The truth is simply this...We need a top 3 pick and if we don't land one of those coveted slots we should draft Marcus Smart.  He has elite ability and offers the Celtics something the NBA is built on...mismatches.  At 6'4 and 215 Smart is a tank that defends, gets to the line and shots FT well.  His singular incident is blown way out of proportion and should only be a warning to us all that we are judge severely for missteps and quickly forgotten for best intentions (staying in school to improve his game).

Next we hope that Houston is willing to take Rondo for some package including Parsons but should expect a deal that only returns us Lin and Asik.  A PG even one as talented and accomplished as Rondo in a dime a dozen in this era of the NBA and unfortunately he has less and less value to us and to others as each year passes by.  An when you argue Rondo is truly elite run through the list of NBA teams and their players running the point....Lilliard, Westbrook, Williams, Paul, Curry, Holiday, Bledsoe, Dragic, Lowry, Carter-Williams, Parker, Teague, Rose..etc.

It might look something like this..

PG- Lin/Smart (whoever is better...Lin a one year rental)
SG- Bradley/Smart/Johnson (Bradley better take it on the cheap for 60 games a season)
SF -Green/Warran/Wallace
PF- Sullinger/Olynyk
C-  Asik/Humphries/Anthony

Contender? Nope  Playoff Team in the East? Yup...add Parsons and the right Free Agents and most teams in the East won't want us in the playoffs.

If the ping pong balls roll right it looks like this

PG- Rondo/Pressy
SG- Bradley/Johnson
SF- Green/Wallace/
PF- Sullinger/Olynyk
C- Embid/Anthony

Which Team is better?  Short Term?  Long Term?

the second line up is very intriguing and could possibly be an indiana pacers team in a couple years,

the top team, as much as i think smart can be a great PG, I once again DO NOT WANT ASIK, if we get asik and Lin, I hope its for salary dump on 2015. Then we go after aldridge and Gasol

Smart
Bradley
Green
Aldridge
Gasol

or whatever we have at the 2 and 3 positions can be an amazing team

[DraftSmart33]

It all goes back to my point...how in the world do we land Aldridge (the face of Portland's Franchise) and Marc Gasol (the face of Memphis team)...it's just not going to happen.  Portland is an up and comer and their only going to add pieces in the next few years.

[Eja117]

If we're so incredibly confident in Smart we could just draft him anyway and trade Rondo later. Or him. He could just become the next MCW or something and we'll be fine. But if he becomes the next Trey Burke....or even Chauncey Billups (who took yeeeeaaaarrrsss to get good) then this plan goes out the window.

[Tr1boy]

Marcus Smart has ways to go. Poor jump shooter (which is going to make your career a living nightmare as a guard, just ask Rondo) and poor shot selection (most are out of the league).

Now in the right environment and if he doesn't have to be the main piece, he might excel.  But thats a risk

[pokeKingCurtis]

If we're so incredibly confident in Smart we could just draft him anyway and trade Rondo later. Or him. He could just become the next MCW or something and we'll be fine. But if he becomes the next Trey Burke....or even Chauncey Billups (who took yeeeeaaaarrrsss to get good) then this plan goes out the window.

What's up with Trey Burke?

[DraftSmart33]

If we're so incredibly confident in Smart we could just draft him anyway and trade Rondo later. Or him. He could just become the next MCW or something and we'll be fine. But if he becomes the next Trey Burke....or even Chauncey Billups (who took yeeeeaaaarrrsss to get good) then this plan goes out the window.

This is not all about Smart this is about a realistic plan but if you want to go that way....

Burke was 13 ppg 6 assist and 3 boards with out any of the strength of Smart and all of the weaknesses

Billups had similar numbers and was verbally trashed on the court his rookie season by an out of control coach who set the C's back a decade

Rondo took years to develop as well...it is a trend with point guards and centers.

The REAL question is......Would you give Rondo a MAX Contract??

By the way I'd rather draft Embid, Parker, and Wiggins it's just the numbers that say we are more likely to land the #5 or #6

[PhoSita]

It all goes back to my point...how in the world do we land Aldridge (the face of Portland's Franchise) and Marc Gasol (the face of Memphis team)...it's just not going to happen.  Portland is an up and comer and their only going to add pieces in the next few years.

The same people who harp on about the uncertainty of top draft picks will tell you that somehow the Celts are gonna heist some other team's All NBA big man.  In fairness, it happened with KG.  But a generation might go by before another flurry of trades sets up an instant contender like that again.

[Celtics18]

I don't see drafting Marcus Smart as signifying the need to trade Rondo.  I believe those two could play together in the same backcourt. 

Not a lot of shooting, but a heck of a lot of toughness and dribble penetration.  A three guard rotation of Rondo, Bradley, and Smart is kind of exciting to me. 

[DraftSmart33]

I agree with that if we draft Smart it doesn't require we move Rondo...after all one of bigger problems for the last few seasons has been having another ball handler.  I think the bigger issue is having a rim protecter (Asik/Embid/whoever) and a willingness to get what we can from moving Rondo rather than losing him to a MAX deal with someone else or paying him for it ourselves. 

A third Star can't cost your franchise a MAX contract and on a good team that's exactly what Rondo would be..the third star.

[manl_lui]

draft Smart and trade Bradley if he asks for 6 mil+

[Celtics18]

I agree with that if we draft Smart it doesn't require we move Rondo...after all one of bigger problems for the last few seasons has been having another ball handler.  I think the bigger issue is having a rim protecter (Asik/Embid/whoever) and a willingness to get what we can from moving Rondo rather than losing him to a MAX deal with someone else or paying him for it ourselves. 

A third Star can't cost your franchise a MAX contract and on a good team that's exactly what Rondo would be..the third star.

First, second or third.  That's really neither here, nor there.  I think he'll sign the extension this summer for a reasonable $15million per year for three years in addition to the '14-'15 season. 

I don't think Rajon Rondo will get a max contract from anyone if he waits until free agency.  He's probably aware of that fact.  That's why I think he's likely to take the deal this summer. 

[green147]

I was with you about Smart, but saying Rondo has no value is ridiculous? Houston wants to get rid of Asik and Lin (and their ballon contracts), so they can sign Melo or another big name free agent. Rondo has already fetched way bigger offers....just ask Sacramento.

[DraftSmart33]

Rondo has value...I just think we over value him.  The going rate on an all-star point guard (Jrue Holiday) is the #6 pick in an awful draft and an additional mid-first.  For Rondo I would like to believe we could expect a little more but as I listed above, with all the teams that have a PG the demand can't be that high.

It's hard to tell what was true about the Kings rumors, one thing that was for sure is they wouldn't do a deal if he didn't sign an extension and that's not going to happen.

[DraftSmart33]

draft Smart and trade Bradley if he asks for 6 mil+

I'm fine with moving Bradley but Smart's jump shot isn't ready for the looks AB gets and knocks down fairly consistently (be it the 60 games he plays a year) I also think that building Smart into a 2 guard takes away some of the mismatches/strengths he gets at the 1 guard spot (Size/Strength & and a willingness to be physical)