Who might Rondo be recruiting? Some insight by a respected RealGM poster.

[CFAN38]

I dont put any faith in the source but it does make some sense. Obviously the projected lineup is tough to figure but if the 8 man core is Rondo, AB, Gay, Sully and Gasol with KO, Smart and Turner/Young on the bench then this team is a player in the east. Gay is over payed but more productive then Green. If he is on a more reasonable deal and allows Rondo to facilitate then he is an upgrade at SF. Gasol is a team changer he brings the toughness and defense this team has lacked since Perk left and is a great passer. If Sully and KO can progress like many of us hope (and are kept around) then they would form a very formidable and versatile 3 man rotation. Those 3 would become the keys to any future success because they would be the only edge the Cs would have on the Cavs. The other X factor will be smart, I dont know if he is ideally suited to be a 6th man.

 

[mmmmm]

that reminds me of that grizzlies conley-mayo-gay-randolph-gasol line up
never really played together or worked out well, but had loads of potential

This is what worries me. Bring in Gay and Gasol is intriguing but....... in my head.........conley>(might be) rond b/c conley can actually shoot and rondo is coming off an injury, and Z-BO>Sully....the difference would have to be the bench and defense of AB....then again they had tony allen....maybe KO and smart will be the difference but its hard to see how cloning the grizzlies brings in a championship......don't get me wrong Grizz is/was good if not great team BUT not quite championship caliber

The proposal would be about next year.   Acquiring Gasol and Gay via free agency (or S&T) for 2015.

I would expect Rondo's ACL injury to be a minimal issue by then.   So the comparison to Conley you just made may not make sense.

Also, assuming steady progression of Sullinger and/or Olynyk -- I don't know if the assertion about Z-Bo>Sully would stand by then either.

Different coach.  Vastly different bench.  Different players.  Different offensive system.

I don't really see it as a reboot of that same Memphis team.   Maybe not better or worse, but I think it would have a very different style.

'Probably won't happen, but who knows?

[mmmmm]

I don' think Green/Gay will be paid vastly different amounts.

Probably not.

The whole premise seems to be built on Gay taking a discount though.

[Fafnir]

I don' think Green/Gay will be paid vastly different amounts.

Probably not.

The whole premise seems to be built on Gay taking a discount though.

Agreed, which is something I don't see happening.

[GreenWarrior]

I like gasol, but rudy gay? I thought Rondo wanted to be on a contender?

this team would be a 5 seed and get bounced in the 1st or 2nd rnd.

let's not let Rondo play at the GM desk again.

[Humble G]

that reminds me of that grizzlies conley-mayo-gay-randolph-gasol line up
never really played together or worked out well, but had loads of potential

This is what worries me. Bring in Gay and Gasol is intriguing but....... in my head.........conley>(might be) rond b/c conley can actually shoot and rondo is coming off an injury, and Z-BO>Sully....the difference would have to be the bench and defense of AB....then again they had tony allen....maybe KO and smart will be the difference but its hard to see how cloning the grizzlies brings in a championship......don't get me wrong Grizz is/was good if not great team BUT not quite championship caliber

The proposal would be about next year.   Acquiring Gasol and Gay via free agency (or S&T) for 2015.

I would expect Rondo's ACL injury to be a minimal issue by then.   So the comparison to Conley you just made may not make sense.

Also, assuming steady progression of Sullinger and/or Olynyk -- I don't know if the assertion about Z-Bo>Sully would stand by then either.

Different coach.  Vastly different bench.  Different players.  Different offensive system.

I don't really see it as a reboot of that same Memphis team.   Maybe not better or worse, but I think it would have a very different style.

'Probably won't happen, but who knows?

Even with a healthy rondo i dont think he is that much better overall than conley...Rondo is a much better passer and slightly better at D but conley is better rounded all around player IMO

And really I was comparing Z-BO during that period of time, of course Sully/KO can develop into  a better than Old man Z-BO.......

Might point was I'm not sure if Rudy Gay and Gasol in Boston would be much different than in Memphis. Yes its different coach and possibly style of play BUT really the team makeup is pretty close (I mean 2 out of the 5 guys are exactly the same!!!!  )

rondo...conley
Gay...Gay
Sully.....ZBO
Gasol....Gasol
Bradley...Tony allen
Bayless.......Marcus Smart
KO/Bass/Fav....Ed Davis/Darrel Arthur/Austin Daye
Gerald Wallace......Tayshaun Prince

little irish guy.....Big Bear......maybe not so much lol

[nostar]

Gay recently said he enjoys playing in Sacramento but that doesn't mean anything really.

Rudy Gay isn't as bad as people think. He's actually not bad at all. He was misused in Toronto and he's been overpaid for the better part of half a decade but, he's a really good basketball player. I would happily pay Rudy Gay $10M/yr for 4-5 years. Unfortunately he likely won't sign for that. Productive wings are getting paid and he is exactly that. Phoenix will probably give him a max offer, or maybe Sacramento ponies up. The good news is we have a Rudy Gay already on our team. His name is Jeff Green. Take a look! And that is with no Cousins to draw defenders down low.

I really doubt Gasol signs here. I'm in the camp that says he'll either stay in Memphis or make a b-line to the Knicks for Jackson and the triangle. I feel similarly about Rondo! You know what is better than Rondo/Gay/Gasol? Rondo/Melo/Gasol.

[biggs]

I'm surprised his buddy Josh Smith wasn't mentioned.  Gay has so much talent, I wonder if Stevens could bring it out of him.  Like others have mentioned: the more you look at it this proposed new team looks just like that Memphis team pre-prince, and that's not a bad thing.

[JBcat]

If we have to replace Jeff Green with another SF IMO it has to be enough to move the needle otherwise why bother.  For example say the Pacers decide to blow it up after an awfull year this year maybe we can go after Paul George.  That sounds much more enticing than settling for Rudy Gay who isn't a true number 1 option.

[mgent]

If we move Wallace, we could give Gasol 60mil over 4 years (15mil per year) and Rondo 65mil over 5 years (13mil per year).

Rondo / Bradley / Green / Sully / Gasol

Smart / Young / Turner / Olynyk / Zeller

+ 2 firsts.

If Rondo could somehow recruit him, that's a pretty solid team, and wouldn't require Danny giving up that plethora of first rounders (minus what it costs to get rid of Wallace's final year).

your first problem is now in Bold letters.

I never said it would be easy, though it's only 1 year 10 million.  I think a 1st could get it done.  And that's a lot more ideal than giving up multiple 1st rounders/other assets for a max player in a trade (which then we could do after locking up Gasol/Rondo long-term).

[fairweatherfan]

Wallace will become a lot more movable starting this offseason when he's an expiring deal.  Especially if we're willing to package a pick for the other team's trouble.

[gpap]

Gay recently said he enjoys playing in Sacramento but that doesn't mean anything really.

Rudy Gay isn't as bad as people think. He's actually not bad at all. He was misused in Toronto and he's been overpaid for the better part of half a decade but, he's a really good basketball player. I would happily pay Rudy Gay $10M/yr for 4-5 years. Unfortunately he likely won't sign for that. Productive wings are getting paid and he is exactly that. Phoenix will probably give him a max offer, or maybe Sacramento ponies up. The good news is we have a Rudy Gay already on our team. His name is Jeff Green. Take a look! And that is with no Cousins to draw defenders down low.

I really doubt Gasol signs here. I'm in the camp that says he'll either stay in Memphis or make a b-line to the Knicks for Jackson and the triangle. I feel similarly about Rondo! You know what is better than Rondo/Gay/Gasol? Rondo/Melo/Gasol.

If Gasol ends up signing in NY next year, then Rondo/Gay/Jordan would look nice here in Boston.

Also, I don't believe Rondo would fit well into Jackson's triangle offense.

I think Calderon fits that system better for them.

Honestly, the longer that Rondo is a Celtic, the more I am beginning to think that it's highly likely he stays here for the long-haul.

The only final test will now be where the team is at, mid-season.

Hopefully the team isn't bad enough to the point where Ainge feels the best option would be to deal Rondo because that would likely mean rebuilding solely through the draft (as opposed to rebuilding through the draft AND free agency.)

[Roy H.]

I'll go on record now as a non-respected CBer that the chances of Gasol landing in Boston are about 0%.

Gay will possibly be available (although I think that Sacramento will overpay to keep him) but I don't get the sense that Danny likes him that much.  If he did, he would have drafted him over doing the Telfair trade, I think. 

Anyway, if Rondo would like to play with Gay so much, why hasn't he even considered a trade to Sacramento, where he could have paired with Gay, DMC, and potentially Josh Smith?

[gpap]

I'll go on record now as a non-respected CBer that the chances of Gasol landing in Boston are about 0%.

Gay will possibly be available (although I think that Sacramento will overpay to keep him) but I don't get the sense that Danny likes him that much.  If he did, he would have drafted him over doing the Telfair trade, I think. 

Anyway, if Rondo would like to play with Gay so much, why hasn't he even considered a trade to Sacramento, where he could have paired with Gay, DMC, and potentially Josh Smith?

Because that would mean the Celtics would get an awful return from Sacramento in exchange for Rondo.

I do agree the chances of Gasol coming to Boston are somewhat slim as I think it's more likely he stays in Memphis or goes to either NY or LA.

But my prediction is that Rondo, Rudy Gay and either Al Jefferson or Deandre Jordan are in green next year, which would be just as nice.

[Evantime34]

I'll go on record now as a non-respected CBer that the chances of Gasol landing in Boston are about 0%.

Gay will possibly be available (although I think that Sacramento will overpay to keep him) but I don't get the sense that Danny likes him that much.  If he did, he would have drafted him over doing the Telfair trade, I think. 

Anyway, if Rondo would like to play with Gay so much, why hasn't he even considered a trade to Sacramento, where he could have paired with Gay, DMC, and potentially Josh Smith?

Because Rondo wants to play in Boston.

I think Rudy Gay could end up in Boston, but I don't think Gasol leaves.

I'm not sure how much I would be comfortable paying Gay though.