I'm pretty convinced the most likely scenario here is Rondo reaching free agency and signing elsewhere. Boston gets nothing. That's how this is panning out.
Someone in better position to win will overpay Rondo and that's not going to be Boston.
so where is Rondo going to sign?
NYK and LAL are the only realistic options. is a 37 yr old kobe going to give him a better chance to win? or a NYK triangle offense with Melo and nothing else?
C's have much better young prospects, have the ability to clear cap space to put a max next to him , and tons of draft picks to add to that
I hate to even think about it, but Rondo would be good for the Lakers. He could prevent Kobe from embarrassing himself further and there's nothing quite like Rondo when you have a bunch of scrubs. He'd have Ed Davis and Jordan Hill shooting 70% like Zeller. 
Of course he would be good for the Lakers , but what do the Lakers offer him more than the C's can ? C's could match the same offer . Kobe isn't going to be the go to guy on a contender, he is just to washed up for that at this point in his career . They don't have any other legit starters on that team, and Julius Randle coming off a broken leg .
1. Money. They could throw the max at Rondo, which we shouldn't max.
2. Major Market, which results in more money from endorsements.
Those are pretty weak and cliche reasons .
Um... no they're not? Nothing indicates Danny thinks Rondo is a max player. If he did we would've have made moves to become a playoff team this season, as I said yesterday.
Everything indicates the Lakers will throw the max at Rondo whether they think he's worth it or not.
Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's "weak" or "cliche." Maybe it's "cliche" to you because more and more people are starting to believe this is the reality of the situation and repeating it.
What is it that indicates to you that "the Lakers will throw the max at Rondo whether they think he's worth it or not."?
You're going to have to help me here. This makes absolutely zero sense.
There's a lot of speculation going on but, in general, the Lakers aren't afraid to open up the pocketbook, they historically attract high-profile free agents, Rondo is a good fit on paper (especially in Byron Scott's "no threes" offense, haha), Rondo and Kobe seem to get along (not a foregone conclusion for either guy). If I were the Lakers GM, I'd throw the farm at Rondo, unless they're looking to bottom out even harder.