POLL: Smart or Rondo?

[Fred Roberts]

Rondo is the primary PG until he is no longer on the team or in his prime. Plain and simple.

Smart is going to add immediate impact in the rotation with Rondo or as his back up while Rondo sits.

It's a good thing, not a problem. Depth is good people  ... don't freak out!

[greece66]

I LOVE Rondo but he really needs to adjust his style of play in order to carry this team to another level.

This is where the real debate starts. Should Rondo adapt to Stevens or Stevens to Rondo?
My feeling is that RR will adapt to the 'read and react' attack - and besides, in any other team he might end up, as a point guard he is by definition the closest link between the coach and the rest of the team - he has in a way to behave as a soldier who follows orders. (Unless you are R. Westbrook destroying in a couple of playoff games your team's whole season).
But again, it is good to keep in mind that Ainge has made a long term commitment to Stevens (a 6 year contract means something) and if the combination proves unworkable in practice, a mutual consent divorce won't be such a terrible thing, as long as we can pocket a few valuable assets in exchange for RR.
What's more, both sides fully understand that an open conflict would hurt them both- RR market value going down won't be a problem for Rondo alone but for the C's as well (whether Ainge plans to trade him or not).

[BballTim]

HEre is the funny part

If Smart sucked yesterday,

none of these threads would exist.

  They'd just be delayed. He can't suck every day.

[crimson_stallion]

Rondo was the 29th ranked point guard in the league last year.

He is not the player he once was.....

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/position/pg/year/2014

Interesting that you base Rondo's ranking among PG's based purely on that stat. 

By doing so you are also suggesting that:

1) Isiah Thomas is the 4th best PG in the entire NBA - better than Mike Conley, Kyrie Irving, John Wall, Tony Parker and Deron Williams and (of course) Rajon Rondo.

2) JJ Reddick is a top 10 SG - better than Gordon Hayward, Arron Afflalo, Joe Johnson, Eric Gordon, Lance Stephenson, Bradley Beal, Andre Iguiodala and Victor Oladipo, Ray Allen, Tim Hardaway Jr and OJ Mayo

3) CJ Miles, Vince Carter, Tony Allen, Marco Belinelli, Jodie Meeks and Jordan Crawford are all better than Bradley Beal

4) Michael Beazey a top 10 SF - better than Thaddeus Young, Chandler Parsons, Nicolas Batum, Luol Deng, Josh Smith and Jeff Green.

5) Nick Young is better then Josh Smith and Jeff Adrien is better than Paul Pierce

6) Brandon Wright is a top 5 PF - he is better than Al Horford, Lemarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan,
Kenneth Faried, Paul Milsap, Serge Ibaka

7) Jordan Hill is better than Pau Gasol, David Lee, Chris Bosh

Mason Plumlee is better than Zach Randolf, Greg Monroe, David West and Nene

9) Derek Favors and Andre Blatche are top 10 centers - better than Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, and Marcin Gortat

10) John Henson, Robin Lopez, DeJuan Blair, Samuel Dalembert, Henry Simms, Tyler Zeller, Jermaine Oneal, Miles Plumlee and Andrea Bargnani are all better than Omer Asik.

11) Zaza Pachilia is better than Larry Sanders

12) Ronny Turiaf is better than Roy Hibbert and Kevin Garnett

13) Goran Dragic and Brandon Wright are top 20 player in the NBA - they are better than Dwight Howard, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Joakim Noah, Chris Bosh and Tony Parker.

All interesting facts - eye opening to say the least!

[2short]

Rondo was the 29th ranked point guard in the league last year.

He is not the player he once was.....

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/statistics/_/position/pg/year/2014

Interesting that you base Rondo's ranking among PG's based purely on that stat. 

By doing so you are also suggesting that:

1) Isiah Thomas is the 4th best PG in the entire NBA - better than Mike Conley, Kyrie Irving, John Wall, Tony Parker and Deron Williams and (of course) Rajon Rondo.

2) JJ Reddick is a top 10 SG - better than Gordon Hayward, Arron Afflalo, Joe Johnson, Eric Gordon, Lance Stephenson, Bradley Beal, Andre Iguiodala and Victor Oladipo, Ray Allen, Tim Hardaway Jr and OJ Mayo

3) CJ Miles, Vince Carter, Tony Allen, Marco Belinelli, Jodie Meeks and Jordan Crawford are all better than Bradley Beal

4) Michael Beazey a top 10 SF - better than Thaddeus Young, Chandler Parsons, Nicolas Batum, Luol Deng, Josh Smith and Jeff Green.

5) Nick Young is better then Josh Smith and Jeff Adrien is better than Paul Pierce

6) Brandon Wright is a top 5 PF - he is better than Al Horford, Lemarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan,
Kenneth Faried, Paul Milsap, Serge Ibaka

7) Jordan Hill is better than Pau Gasol, David Lee, Chris Bosh

Mason Plumlee is better than Zach Randolf, Greg Monroe, David West and Nene

9) Derek Favors and Andre Blatche are top 10 centers - better than Marc Gasol, DeAndre Jordan, and Marcin Gortat

10) John Henson, Robin Lopez, DeJuan Blair, Samuel Dalembert, Henry Simms, Tyler Zeller, Jermaine Oneal, Miles Plumlee and Andrea Bargnani are all better than Omer Asik.

11) Zaza Pachilia is better than Larry Sanders

12) Ronny Turiaf is better than Roy Hibbert and Kevin Garnett

13) Goran Dragic and Brandon Wright are top 20 player in the NBA - they are better than Dwight Howard, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Joakim Noah, Chris Bosh and Tony Parker.

All interesting facts - eye opening to say the least!

tp and ZING!

[Mazingerz]

The inevitable over-reaction thread has come up; I predict a Bradley-Smart thread will also pop-up;

[Diehard2001]

this will be rondos best year. Please leave it how it has always been. The new guy earns the spot or takes over by skill. I like smart but hes got a few years to be who he really is. Plus new guys sometimes dont develop into who you hope they would be. Rondo is proven even with his shooting and FTs.

[Diehard2001]

12) Ronny Turiaf is better than Roy Hibbert and Kevin Garnett




I just died and woke up laughed then died again and then had to get rushed to the hospital. I grab the doctor by the shirt and said. "please tell me this isnt true" he said "sorry son the world has gone crazy" then ripped his shirt open and a KG jersey appears and he got on the table and yelled "ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE"

[greece66]

The inevitable over-reaction thread has come up; I predict a Bradley-Smart thread will also pop-up;

Actually, we were debating exactly this in another thread yesterday. (Together with the Green vs ET question). Debating is fun 

[Geo123]

HEre is the funny part

If Smart sucked yesterday,

none of these threads would exist.

  They'd just be delayed. He can't suck every day.

But he's nowhere near the class of Rondo and won't be this year and next at least. 

[DesertDweller]

Rondo, Bradley, Smart, Pressey. we want them all.

Not for sale, HANDS OFF!!!

[Eja117]

He's gotta earn it and it would probably be easier and more meaningful to beat out Avery

[greece66]

already evaporated much of the enthusiasm about Smart.
After the second defeat, let's ask for his head upon a plate! 
(And to think we are still at preseason  - I f___ing love this team!)