Something is better than nothing

[rutzan]

Here we go again...we are not going to get "blown away" with a deal for rondo...we would be lucky to get "assets" for him...so...the only solution is to "overpay" to keep rondo...which i would like...rondo is one of the few players who actually makes his teammates better...there are very few players like that in the nba today...trading rondo and piling up more mediocre assets is a surefire way to mediocrity hell...what really bothers me is the something is better than nothing mentality that is gaining steam...that was why i was so against trading the tpe to cleveland...which i got ripped for...which i still stand by...because..it then becomes the norm to settle into mediocrity hell and just accept that something is better than nothing...the nba is a star-driven league...talent wins...that's the bottom line...is rondo a "marquee" player...he's close enough for me...in my book...he has the intangible "celtic pride" which is not easily replace by just throwing assets against the wall and seeing what sticks...a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush...collecting assets is like hoping you draw the right card...most of the time you go bust and the house wins...don't bet against the house and the surefire thing...keep rondo at all costs...even if that means max money...rondo, avery and smart is a nice 3-guard rotation...we're 1 good big man from being a playoff team in the weak east...no rondo means a long rebuild with no guarantees

[Who]

A star leaving for nothing via free agency isn't so bad in today's NBA. The cap space you gain and the possibility of a high lottery pick the following season (if you can't spend cap space effectively) allows for quick improvements even if a star walks away as a free agent.

[bobbyv]

A star leaving for nothing via free agency isn't so bad in today's NBA. The cap space you gain and the possibility of a high lottery pick the following season (if you can't spend cap space effectively) allows for quick improvements even if a star walks away as a free agent.

Cap space is highly overrated. And the lottery is the lottery. That being said, Rondo walking away wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

[Csfan1984]

When has the Celtics had Max money to spend in FA? Don't think they ever had more then 14 million. I won't mind letting Rondo walk if the deal isn't right.

[Rondo9]

A star leaving for nothing via free agency isn't so bad in today's NBA. The cap space you gain and the possibility of a high lottery pick the following season (if you can't spend cap space effectively) allows for quick improvements even if a star walks away as a free agent.

Cap space is highly overrated. And the lottery is the lottery. That being said, Rondo walking away wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

A rebuilding team should always have flexibility to make moves or to sign free agents.

[Sketch5]

I don't think there are too many teams looking to upgrade their PG spot, those that are don't have much to trade. And ones that may, Rondo may not resign.

But who knows, if we are getting closer to camp and teams want to set there roster before it starts, I could see it being official that Rondo is on the market. He'd be worth more now than At the deadline were teams will really low ball offers knowing if DA can't get anything for him at the deadline than he's probably not getting anything for him at all.

[Jon]

A star leaving for nothing via free agency isn't so bad in today's NBA. The cap space you gain and the possibility of a high lottery pick the following season (if you can't spend cap space effectively) allows for quick improvements even if a star walks away as a free agent.

This is generally right. Let's also keep in mind that unless Rondo is traded to a team with cap space, we are going to have to roughly take back his salary in return. Thus, a "something" could be far worse than a "nothing" if the "something" is 15 million dollars worth of overpaid role players.

Unfortunately, this isn't baseball where it's easy to trade stars for prospects without taking big money back in return.

[hwangjini_1]

A star leaving for nothing via free agency isn't so bad in today's NBA. The cap space you gain and the possibility of a high lottery pick the following season (if you can't spend cap space effectively) allows for quick improvements even if a star walks away as a free agent.

a good point. the end of rondo is not the end of the celtics. the rondo cap space could be very valuable when added to the upcoming space. as is, assuming no free agent signings, rondo gone, and new draft picks, the celtics salary for 2015-16 would be under $35 million i think, and wallace could be stretched if necessary. lots of room to sign new players.

[Jailan34]

A star leaving for nothing via free agency isn't so bad in today's NBA. The cap space you gain and the possibility of a high lottery pick the following season (if you can't spend cap space effectively) allows for quick improvements even if a star walks away as a free agent.

This is a good point, but if management knows its a sure thing then I'd like him to leave sooner rather than later. This draft is supposed to have a nice crop of big men.

[obnoxiousmime]

Rondo "only" makes 13 million next season, so this wonderful cap space that is a supposed benefit of him leaving is not considerable. I mean, Avery Bradley is now an 8 million/year player!

Cap space can increase flexibility but the Celtics are not close to contending and will not be a FA destination anytime soon. That means you either spend that precious space on an overpay for a midtier star or you re-sign your own guys. The Sixers have all the cap space in the world but guess what? They can only offer LeBron the same exact salary as the other 29 teams vying for his services. And all those rookies you drafted will be asking for raises in four years.

Also, cap space was valuable when every team was up to the cap and expirings were gold. Now a lot of teams are more disciplined and cap space isn't a rarity. This means every summer you're competing with a lots of teams who also have space trying to sign a marquee guy but probably settling for a mediocre star, or just not spending the money at all.

[hwangjini_1]

Rondo "only" makes 13 million next season, so this wonderful cap space that is a supposed benefit of him leaving is not considerable. I mean, Avery Bradley is now an 8 million/year player!

Cap space can increase flexibility but the Celtics are not close to contending and will not be a FA destination anytime soon. That means you either spend that precious space on an overpay for a midtier star or you re-sign your own guys. The Sixers have all the cap space in the world but guess what? They can only offer LeBron the same exact salary as the other 29 teams vying for his services. And all those rookies you drafted will be asking for raises in four years.

Also, cap space was valuable when every team was up to the cap and expirings were gold. Now a lot of teams are more disciplined and cap space isn't a rarity. This means every summer you're competing with a lots of teams who also have space trying to sign a marquee guy but probably settling for a mediocre star, or just not spending the money at all.

i understand your points and agree to a degree, but have a few points to raise.

my addition would be to say that we need to look at the $13 million NOT in isolation, but with the context of the other salaries that disappear. when done that way, the celtics have a sizeble opening for free agents, etc. that was part of my earlier post, so let's be fair.

second, on your sixers comment, i know you do not mean to say that cap space has zero value for a team. so please let me know exactly what do you mean? obviously the value is not the straw figure of "they can sign anyone and everyone" but it is just as obviously not "they wont sign anyone regardless of the cap space." i would like to better understand where and why you are drawing the line on the value of this cap space to the celtics. thanks.

final point on your final point, if the free agent game is played now as you describe, then wouldnt a large level of cap space be essential to play in that game? thus, the celtics need such space to compete in the world you lay out.

[LB3533]

I play Fantasy Baseball and we have a salary cap. Every season we have a draft auction and can offer fake "salary contracts" to MLB ball players.

In Fantasy sports....these players do not have the luxury to say "Nah, I don't want to go play for you....even if you are offering the most salary".

In real life, players can do whatever they want (or their agent/financial & family advisors tell them to want).

We could have the most cap space ever.....but that doesn't mean anything, especially if the players don't want to play here.....to play in a losing environment with not many other extra avenues to increase financial profiles or publicity.

Will there be a player of Rondo's caliber or a player of greater caliber than Rondo....any player available?

Are we going to play the lottery every season. for how many years?

[Future Celtics Owner]

I say the best deal we can get for Rondo will have to include a 3-4 team trade. No one team has what we will essentially need: buy low rookie scale rim protector(Bismac Biyombu), expirings, picks, or "long shot"but possible home run prospects(Bruno Caboclo, Rudy Gobert)...Gobert could also go under rookie scale rim protector.

I think this is the best because if the prospect does not work out we simply do not resign them and they are cheap enough that it will not effect our cap room by much at all.


BTW In Avery Bradley's case, nothing is better than something....at least at 8mil a year, especially on a team stacked with 2's

[Celtics4ever]

The people wanting to trade him would say the same thing.  That it is better to get something than let him walk.  I think there have been too many knee jerk reactions like all the horrible trades proposed to SAC for Rondo.  If we trade him get a good deal ( not Ben McLemore and a pick) and that does not even work out monetarily.   

I think right now , that Jackie is right about one thing, we are not going to get 80 cents on the dollar for him.   He did not show enough that he was back to form with his play last year.  If we do trade him, and I am not advocating for it, it should be at the trade deadline or when opportunity presents itself not just for the heck of it.

[CFAN38]

I agree with you that it is unwise to let a marque player walk when they are so difficult to replace and the lottery is just that a lottery. This logic is also why he cant be allowed to leave without some sort of compensation to the Cs. Every pick, young player, and trade-able contract is an asset for building the future. These assets are what will bring in the building blocks for a future celtics team. Maybe Rondo is traded for some mediocre pieces but the idea is to not get the team caught in a situation where Rondo is in his 30s the team is a 7th or 8th seed and the fan base is disappointed to lose to the Cavs/Bulls in the first round every year till Rondo retires. 

With Lebron in his prime and the Cs so fare off from being a contender is it really that bad an idea to build a team that will peak as he falls out of his prime? Looking at the ages Rondo is 28, James is 29. They are in their primes in 4 years they will be 32 and 33 and on the decline. At that point Smart will be 24 he and the rest of the rookies in the last 2 drafts will be entering their primes when James is on his way out. Building a young team with aims to contend post james is not the most inspiring or competitive way to look at the league but realistically there are worse scenarios out there.