Latest from Bill Simmons

[nostar]

I doubt it, they have Isaiah Thomas, who one could make an argument is better than Rondo.

One could but one could also be laughed at derisively.

I'd begrudgingly take #8, McLemore and Thomas for Rondo if we strike out on Love. I'm not sure I'd personally make the deal but it is as close to fair value as we will get I think.

The things I like about Rondo are his loyalty and his fire. I don't think you find that stuff everyday. It's his KG-type qualities that really make me root for him. Trading him for young guys and picks just doesn't make a ton of sense unless he's unhappy, which he isn't.

We could certainly do worse starting over with Smart, Gordon, Hood,  and McLemore all on rookie wages. Thomas will want $8M/year or more and he might deserve it. He's not as effecient as Ty Lawson but he's very similar statistically. In all honestly Rondo, Smart and Hood sounds better to me. I'd rather have a proven all-star leading my team than swap him for an unknown in Gordon, a (very) undersized PG in Thomas and a good prospect in McLemore.

So call me crazy but I think if we strike out on Love we'll keep Rondo and make a run at guys in 2015. Rondo has said he wants to stay, we will have the cap room to pay him and he knows Danny will swing for the fences to contend.

My gut tells me we should be trying our best to pry that #5 away from Utah.

[bleedGREENdon]

In all honesty, as much as I want to is contending this year. If we have to give up #6 , #17, Kelly, Sully and future picks for Love. I don't want to do it.

If we could trade rondo to the (smh) lakers for #7 or kings #8. I might be more inclined with that.

If we have a possibility of having Smart and Embiid plus #17. We jump on that in a heartbeat.

We could have the next Tony Parker/ Tim Duncan or Russell Westbrook KD tandem from the draft(not saying both smart or Embiid play like them in any manner just a comparison.

Have a starting lineup of

Smart
Bradley( Maybe draft Napier or hood or DeClanthony or whatever his name is from Witchita
Green
Sully
Embiid/ Kelly

In the east I honestly think we could make the playoffs this year as the 8 seed if we get a good bench.
Also forget mcclemore if the kings will take Wallace. We would then have completely clean cap space and we could straight up offer a max deal to one or two players next off season with our young nucleus of Smart, Embiid, Sully and KO.
Dream scenario honestly.

[Vox_Populi]

That second tweet scares me.

Yeah.

[Smokeeye123]

Couple of Celtics tweets from Simmons:

@BillSimmons  ?  47m
My gut feeling is that Minnesota keeps Love. But the chef convention in Golden State's kitchen right now is high comedy.

@BillSimmons  ?  32m
Prediction: if Celts can't get Love or Embiid, they will pursue Sac's no. 8 pick plus more with Rondo as bait (to end up with 6 + 8 + 17).


Seems like the steam behind Flip keeping Love is picking up...Fascinating if that's the decision he makes...And, if Love isn't in Boston by draft night, I could definitely see Rondo being dealt.

I'd rather the Celtics try and flip Rondo and the 17th for a top 5 pick this year.

Exum and Embiid would bring lots of excitement to the garden.

I don't see Rondo plus 17 getting us a top 5 pick in this draft. The Jazz have their pg of the future, why would they trade the #5 for Rondo? Same for the Magic and Phili, and there is no way we get a top 3 pick for Rondo.

Magic have a PG of the future? Oladipo is a SG...

Regardless I didnt say it was realistic, but if either Utah or orlando are interested in Rondo I would do all I can to try and flip him and a pick(s) for a top 5.

[obnoxiousmime]

Couple of Celtics tweets from Simmons:

@BillSimmons  ?  47m
My gut feeling is that Minnesota keeps Love. But the chef convention in Golden State's kitchen right now is high comedy.

@BillSimmons  ?  32m
Prediction: if Celts can't get Love or Embiid, they will pursue Sac's no. 8 pick plus more with Rondo as bait (to end up with 6 + 8 + 17).


Seems like the steam behind Flip keeping Love is picking up...Fascinating if that's the decision he makes...And, if Love isn't in Boston by draft night, I could definitely see Rondo being dealt.

I'd rather the Celtics try and flip Rondo and the 17th for a top 5 pick this year.

Exum and Embiid would bring lots of excitement to the garden.

I don't see Rondo plus 17 getting us a top 5 pick in this draft. The Jazz have their pg of the future, why would they trade the #5 for Rondo? Same for the Magic and Phili, and there is no way we get a top 3 pick for Rondo.

Magic have a PG of the future? Oladipo is a SG...

Regardless I didnt say it was realistic, but if either Utah or orlando are interested in Rondo I would do all I can to try and flip him and a pick(s) for a top 5.

The Lakers at 7 are as low as you're going to get. The only teams with a low pick that would want Rondo are big market teams confident in their ability to re-sign him (Lakers) or teams that are "going for it," risk be [dang]ed (Hornets, Kings).

The problem with Thomas is that he's due a raise as a free agent, and he might be looking for something in the 8-10 range. On a good team he'd preferably be a backup and I would feel more comfortable paying him like 6-7 million. Of course, if we're going rebuild mode we'll have lots of space due to all the rookie contracts so maybe a slight overpay for a productive player wouldn't be a huge issue.

[Chris22]

Nobody wants Rondo.
That's why he hasn't been traded yet.

[BigAlTheFuture]

Nobody wants Rondo.
That's why he hasn't been traded yet.

Out of the 29 other teams in the league, not one wants him? Is this what you're saying?

[Chris22]

Nobody wants Rondo.
That's why he hasn't been traded yet.

Out of the 29 other teams in the league, not one wants him? Is this what you're saying?

Yes.

No one wants to pay $10 million dollars for the 29th ranked point guard in the NBA.

[dreamgreen]

Couple of Celtics tweets from Simmons:

@BillSimmons  ?  47m
My gut feeling is that Minnesota keeps Love. But the chef convention in Golden State's kitchen right now is high comedy.

@BillSimmons  ?  32m
Prediction: if Celts can't get Love or Embiid, they will pursue Sac's no. 8 pick plus more with Rondo as bait (to end up with 6 + 8 + 17).


Seems like the steam behind Flip keeping Love is picking up...Fascinating if that's the decision he makes...And, if Love isn't in Boston by draft night, I could definitely see Rondo being dealt.

I'd rather the Celtics try and flip Rondo and the 17th for a top 5 pick this year.

Exum and Embiid would bring lots of excitement to the garden.

I don't see Rondo plus 17 getting us a top 5 pick in this draft. The Jazz have their pg of the future, why would they trade the #5 for Rondo? Same for the Magic and Phili, and there is no way we get a top 3 pick for Rondo.

Magic have a PG of the future? Oladipo is a SG...

Regardless I didnt say it was realistic, but if either Utah or orlando are interested in Rondo I would do all I can to try and flip him and a pick(s) for a top 5.

The Lakers at 7 are as low as you're going to get. The only teams with a low pick that would want Rondo are big market teams confident in their ability to re-sign him (Lakers) or teams that are "going for it," risk be [dang]ed (Hornets, Kings).

The problem with Thomas is that he's due a raise as a free agent, and he might be looking for something in the 8-10 range. On a good team he'd preferably be a backup and I would feel more comfortable paying him like 6-7 million. Of course, if we're going rebuild mode we'll have lots of space due to all the rookie contracts so maybe a slight overpay for a productive player wouldn't be a huge issue.

The other problem with Thomas is he's at least 4" to short. Yea he can run around and do a lot of stuff but if you make it to the playoffs IMO he will become a liability. I just don't like players that are very short in the NBA. Like you said backup on a good team, nice spark for 20 minutes a game.

[MBunge]

Nobody wants Rondo.
That's why he hasn't been traded yet.

Out of the 29 other teams in the league, not one wants him? Is this what you're saying?

Yes.

No one wants to pay $10 million dollars for the 29th ranked point guard in the NBA.

Won is shaking in his boots at a brash new NBA reporter on the scene.

Mike

[BballTim]

Nobody wants Rondo.
That's why he hasn't been traded yet.

  Danny does. That's why he hasn't been traded yet. Anyone who follows the league more than casually has heard plenty of rumors about teams calling Ainge about Rondo.

[footey]

if Celts can't get Love or Embiid, they will pursue Sac's no. 8 pick plus more with Rondo as bait (to end up with 6 + 8 + 17).

I doubt it, they have Isaiah Thomas, who one could make an argument is better than Rondo.

seriously?

[footey]

I think Rondo stays if we manage to get Embiid even without Love.  Rondo is a smart guy, he would be the perfect PG to play with Embiid, who doesn't need the ball much to be effective.  Rondo will still have plenty of years of great ball if he has to wait a year for Embiid to heal and play a lot.  That kind of center is the type of player Rondo would thrive with, enabling him to gamble on D with the big stud in the lane to clean up any break downs.   The combo of Sullinger and Olynik in a couple of years could be the equivalent of a poor man's Love.  It would be a fun team to watch, very competitive.

I don't like the Sacramento trade proposal.  I would risk re-signing Rondo unless we needed him to swing a home run type deal. Sacra not one.

[cb8883]

That second tweet scares me.

Danny getting the 8th pick for a role player in Rondo would be the 2nd smartest move he's made in Boston. First obviously being the Nets trade. Rondo is the most overrated player in the NBA period. I'd love to see Boston get Aaron Gordon 8th and pair him up with Embiid.

[pearljammer10]

That second tweet scares me.

Danny getting the 8th pick for a role player in Rondo would be the 2nd smartest move he's made in Boston. First obviously being the Nets trade. Rondo is the most overrated player in the NBA period. I'd love to see Boston get Aaron Gordon 8th and pair him up with Embiid.

Ha.