Rondo is Still Here.

[GreenWarrior]

Something tells me we shouldn't get to used to calling Smart & Young Celtics just yet.

I'm just thinking if we were really committed to going young, completely rebuild, blow it up, etc. why did we not trade Rondo to the Kings for the 8 pick? sure it could still happen but why not do it at the draft so you have your choice of who you get?

if the 8 pick and a player weren't enough I'm sure Danny had enough time find something for a Rondo deal leading up to the draft. if he were getting moved I think it would have happened yesterday.

Yesterday seemed like a great time to start a new era. But Rondo is still here.

[mnshyn]

I think it is a new era.

The Rondo/Bradley era is over.

The Rondo/Smart era is here. If they made Smart like Wade as has been suggested by people, this could prove very interesting. A tough as nails mean PG combo.

[sofutomygaha]

I don't understand. The Rondo/Smart combination can't shoot the three. Hasn't it become abundantly clear that shooting the 3 has become one of the strategic pillars for success in the NBA?

[Eja117]

But we have other guys that can hit threes. KO..not all big men can do that. Sully is trying to expand his range. Young. Bradley. Green. And I don't think either Rondo or Smart are done evolving as shooters.

[Sketch5]

I don't understand. The Rondo/Smart combination can't shoot the three. Hasn't it become abundantly clear that shooting the 3 has become one of the strategic pillars for success in the NBA?

Stevens said Smart is a better shooter than people think. He rattled off 5 or 6 3pter's in a row during live action game that were crucial baskets.

Everyone said his shot isn't broken, just needs work. Bring in a shooting coach this summer and work with him. Wade couldn't shoot 3's all that well when he came into the league, and look at him now.

Smart could work really nice with Rondo. He can take the bigger of the two guards on D, he can even take on some SFs from the reports because he's so strong. Smart is more of a driver to the hoop, which the C's don't really have. This also opens up Green a big more for his shots.

I'm also looking forward to Young's development. I really wanted to have either Warren,Hood or Young for that 17th pick. Nice to see one of them fall to us.

[RLewis35]

Unless you get a godfather offer one way or the other (dealing for a love or dealing rondo away), why make it now?  As some GM said about rondo, trading for rondo gets you two all stars - rondo and your best non all star who rondo will make an all star.

We play out the first part of the season and see how it goes.  Either someone will come begging for rondo or someone will be begging for smart young olynyk sullinger etc because a fully healthy rondo is making them look REAL good.

It also let's is evaluate smart and young and everyone else who is younger for another half season.

If rondo is dealt, I expect it to be in season.

[dark_lord]

roll with smart and see what he can do.....deal rondo.

[D.o.s.]

I don't understand. The Rondo/Smart combination can't shoot the three. Hasn't it become abundantly clear that shooting the 3 has become one of the strategic pillars for success in the NBA?

Stevens said Smart is a better shooter than people think. He rattled off 5 or 6 3pter's in a row during live action game that were crucial baskets.

Everyone said his shot isn't broken, just needs work. Bring in a shooting coach this summer and work with him. Wade couldn't shoot 3's all that well when he came into the league, and look at him now.

Smart could work really nice with Rondo. He can take the bigger of the two guards on D, he can even take on some SFs from the reports because he's so strong. Smart is more of a driver to the hoop, which the C's don't really have. This also opens up Green a big more for his shots.

I'm also looking forward to Young's development. I really wanted to have either Warren,Hood or Young for that 17th pick. Nice to see one of them fall to us.

Wade stopped shooting as many threes because he couldn't hit a lot of them. 

I'm very excited for our draft picks.

[Celtics4ever]

Sully is trying to expand his range

Sully shooting threes = tanking.  It is a bad shot for him and at 280 lbs. , one has to wonder if he will not eat himself out of the league.

[LilRip]

The offseason is long. I sort of expect one of Rondo or Smart to be dealt. Probably Rondo. I think that while Rondo and Smart will be an entertaining backcourt, it ultimately needs to be broken up. It's very hard to have 2 non-shooters on the floor at the same time, particularly when one of those is a guard (let alone both guards).

[GreenWarrior]

I just can't and don't see us going into the season with Rondo(if we're actually committed to going young) with him wondering "what's going on?" I aint buyin it.

I still feel the Love deal is on the table. I think what Minn. does or doesn't do in free agency will be the key to watch for.

[sofutomygaha]

But we have other guys that can hit threes. KO..not all big men can do that. Sully is trying to expand his range. Young. Bradley. Green. And I don't think either Rondo or Smart are done evolving as shooters.

You shouldn't include Sullinger on that list. It's been good using our tank year to see if he can do some damage, but there hasn't been any sign of progress. I do believe that KO is on his way to being a reliable 3-point threat, but a lone stretch 5 does not a spaced floor make. Bradley and Green can both shoot the three, it's true, but I don't think either of those players is going to be a member of the next competitive Celtics squad.

Rondo may be evolving as a mid-range shooter at the top of the key, although this narrative is mostly built on his awesome 2012 season, which could easily prove to be an outlier. From three point range, he is only evolving in the sense that he attempts more shots, not that those shots go in the basket more often.

[manl_lui]

I don't understand. The Rondo/Smart combination can't shoot the three. Hasn't it become abundantly clear that shooting the 3 has become one of the strategic pillars for success in the NBA?

Stevens said Smart is a better shooter than people think. He rattled off 5 or 6 3pter's in a row during live action game that were crucial baskets.

Everyone said his shot isn't broken, just needs work. Bring in a shooting coach this summer and work with him. Wade couldn't shoot 3's all that well when he came into the league, and look at him now.

Smart could work really nice with Rondo. He can take the bigger of the two guards on D, he can even take on some SFs from the reports because he's so strong. Smart is more of a driver to the hoop, which the C's don't really have. This also opens up Green a big more for his shots.

I'm also looking forward to Young's development. I really wanted to have either Warren,Hood or Young for that 17th pick. Nice to see one of them fall to us.

D.Wade is not necessarily a great 3 pt shooter...nor Westbrook

Green is pretty decent 3 pt shooter, and I heard Young is decent as well...if Bradley stays, off the bench defense with occasional 3 pointers...

your point?

[Boris Badenov]

You might be over-thinking things. Isn't the simplest explanation that (a) Smart was the BPA at #6, and (b) the guys available at #8 weren't enticing enough to move Rondo?

We're still in the earliest stages of the rebuild. Roster compatibility is probably the last thing on Danny's mind.

[GreenWarrior]

as much as Danny may tell us Rondo and Smart can play together(which may in fact be true), the reality is if we're "going young", "rebuilding", etc. it makes absolutely no sense to keep Rondo. signing him to a max deal is a waste of time and money while the kids grow up. plus he's probably not going to want to be around for it.

trading for Love at mid-season(the deal the Celtics clearly want, so they can add to Rondo) makes no sense for this team because Love could realistically be here only 2 months, which is not much time to see what these 2 can do together. plus, any number of things could happen in the process.

the "Rondo and Smart can play together" is just to keep everyone calm.