Should the Boston Celtics retire #9 in to the rafters for Rajon Rondo?

[BballTim]

No.  His legacy is slightly better than Antoine walker and Antoine didn't get his number retired either.

  Antoine's Boston legacy:

  1st team all rookie
  3 time all-star
  was on teams that won 3 playoff series

   Rondo's Boston legacy (much borrowed from Chambers):

4× NBA All-Star (2010–2013)
2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2010, 2011)
2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012)
2× NBA assists leader (2012, 2013)
NBA steals leader (2010)
All-NBA Third Team (2012)
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2007)
NBA champion (2008)
was on teams that won 11 playoff series

  Yeah, those are almost identical...

Walker was "the man" and the C's leader for a number of years...something that Rondo never was.  Your wiseass reply doesn't tell the whole story

  Rondo was the best player on the Celts for at least as long as Antione was.

No he wasn't.
You are saying that Rondo was better than Pierce??

  Yes I am, and I don't think that's really a minority opinion. Most people argue for KG, not PP. KG wasn't really better than Rondo, but due to the other bigs on the team was more valuable than Rondo.

Stop the madness.

  In case you're confused, I'm not talking about 2008 KG, but the post knee injury, athletically hampered KG that was normally playing limited minutes for us.

[jambr380]

For me, there's only on sure fire player from this generation that is getting their number retired by the C's: Paul Pierce.

KG is a maybe. His impact was truly transcendent for the franchise but I feel like he didn't accrue enough  time here.

Allen- just no.

Rondo- has the time but no where near their impact of Pierce or KG.

All that being said, the C's have retired numbers of Maxwell, DJ, Ainge, etc. Their criteria for retiring numbers flat out stinks. It makes it almost worthless with the amount of numbers of "good but not great" players they have retired.

To be fair, Ainge didn't have his number retired and I think most people agree that Maxwell shouldn't have - heck, the X man later wore his jersey number. It was very strange that so many years later it was decided that maybe he actually should have his number decided. Was it broadcasting related or something?

As for the Antoine comparisons, I think they are apt. Antoine's impact on the team was pretty obviously greater, but he also achieved less success with the team. If the Cs had acquired Shaq and Wade and won that championship in Boston rather than Miami in 2006, I don't think it would be debatable at all that Antoine would have his number retired here.

[Celtics18]

I think it's a perfectly reasonable argument to make that from 2009-2012, Rajon Rondo was the Celtics overall best player.  There is plenty of evidence to support that claim. 

It's not an open and shut case, though.  Valid arguments could certainly be made for both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce as well. 

[timpiker]

No way.  He only occasionally busted his ass trying.

[Jonny CC]

I think it's a perfectly reasonable argument to make that from 2009-2012, Rajon Rondo was the Celtics overall best player.  There is plenty of evidence to support that claim. 

It's not an open and shut case, though. Valid arguments could certainly be made for both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce as well.

Agreed.  They all had their strengths and weaknesses and nobody is going to change anyone else's opinion. 

[KeepRondo]

No.  His legacy is slightly better than Antoine walker and Antoine didn't get his number retired either.

  Antoine's Boston legacy:

  1st team all rookie
  3 time all-star
  was on teams that won 3 playoff series

   Rondo's Boston legacy (much borrowed from Chambers):

4× NBA All-Star (2010–2013)
2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2010, 2011)
2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012)
2× NBA assists leader (2012, 2013)
NBA steals leader (2010)
All-NBA Third Team (2012)
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2007)
NBA champion (2008)
was on teams that won 11 playoff series

  Yeah, those are almost identical...

I think the problem is Rondo may go on to play another 8 years for the Mavs and may win another championship. As much as I want Rondo's number to be retired, it's hard to say what his identity will be 8 years from now. He certainly gave us some darn good memories though.

[Jonny CC]

No.  His legacy is slightly better than Antoine walker and Antoine didn't get his number retired either.

  Antoine's Boston legacy:

  1st team all rookie
  3 time all-star
  was on teams that won 3 playoff series

   Rondo's Boston legacy (much borrowed from Chambers):

4× NBA All-Star (2010–2013)
2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2010, 2011)
2× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012)
2× NBA assists leader (2012, 2013)
NBA steals leader (2010)
All-NBA Third Team (2012)
NBA All-Rookie Second Team (2007)
NBA champion (2008)
was on teams that won 11 playoff series

  Yeah, those are almost identical...

I think the problem is Rondo may go on to play another 8 years for the Mavs and may win another championship. As much as I want Rondo's number to be retired, it's hard to say what his identity will be 8 years from now. He certainly gave us some darn good memories though.

What Rondo does for another team is irrelevant to his Celtic number being retired.

[BballTim]

I think it's a perfectly reasonable argument to make that from 2009-2012, Rajon Rondo was the Celtics overall best player.  There is plenty of evidence to support that claim. 

It's not an open and shut case, though.  Valid arguments could certainly be made for both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce as well.

  I think in terms of overall play (including playoffs) from 2008-2013 you got relatively equal play from KG, PP and Rondo. In terms of who was the best player, it was KG until the knee injury, then PP for a while, then Rondo for a few years.

[Granath]

No

TP for the short, sweet and correct answer.

[dreamgreen]

Pierce is up there for sure. KG is probably up there, and Allen has a chance of being up there. I'd put Rondo somewhere around KG's chance of being up there, though I think KG deserves it more than Rondo.

Pierce for sure.
KG and Allen did not play here long enough.
Rondo is close but I'd say no.

[Chris22]

Pierce, hell yes.
In fact they should build a statue of Pierce and put it out front.
KG, yes.
Allen and Rondo, no.

[86MaxwellSmart]

For me, there's only on sure fire player from this generation that is getting their number retired by the C's: Paul Pierce.

KG is a maybe. His impact was truly transcendent for the franchise but I feel like he didn't accrue enough  time here.

Allen- just no.

Rondo- has the time but no where near their impact of Pierce or KG.

All that being said, the C's have retired numbers of Maxwell, DJ, Ainge, etc. Their criteria for retiring numbers flat out stinks. It makes it almost worthless with the amount of numbers of "good but not great" players they have retired.

To be fair, Ainge didn't have his number retired and I think most people agree that Maxwell shouldn't have - heck, the X man later wore his jersey number. It was very strange that so many years later it was decided that maybe he actually should have his number decided. Was it broadcasting related or something?

As for the Antoine comparisons, I think they are apt. Antoine's impact on the team was pretty obviously greater, but he also achieved less success with the team. If the Cs had acquired Shaq and Wade and won that championship in Boston rather than Miami in 2006, I don't think it would be debatable at all that Antoine would have his number retired here.

When Maxwell's number was retired--the Celtics organization was in complete shambles--and was grasping for any part of the Glorious Past---not a great time to make that decision....Maybe if we go through 10 years of Lotteries--Rondo's number will be retired.

[LarBrd33]

Pierce, hell yes.
In fact they should build a statue of Pierce and put it out front.
KG, yes.
Allen and Rondo, no.

Pierce deserves it for sure.

KG deserves it as well.  He came to a dump of a franchise that has toiled away in irrelevance for nearly 20 years and almost single-handedly made them a championships organization for a few years.  Inevitably, he got old and the team returned to another 20 years of irrelevance.  But for a brief 3.5 years, we contenders.  We remained a fun team for a couple years after that.  All because of KG's leadership.  He momentarily brought back Celtic pride.   Even his commercials were on point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6TnilbMphA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DREP6cdyq8s

[2short]

EASILY
The second best point guard to EVER play for the celtics.  (Mr Cousy)Better than JoJo who I think belongs in hall of fame, better than DJ who's number is retired even though he wasn't here "that long" and was not the third best player on team.
KC Jones
Dennis Johnson
Cedric Maxwell
Donnie Nelson
Satch Sanders (love him but a very good role player)
all numbers retired

cmon, besides the few guys who absolutely hate rondo and bash him at every chance can anyone say Rondo's great celtics career shouldn't be honored in such a way???

[hwangjini_1]

PP is the only one I would retire out this crowd, no Ray, no KG and no RR.

right now, this is where i am. i have different reasons for each player, but rondo does not qualify in my mind. if he had remained a celtic for more years and kept up the level of production (which he wasnt), then i would consider agreeing with the retirement of his jersey number.

right now, i vote for him to join the hall of very good celtics. which means uniform #9 is alive and kicking and can be used by someone else.

p.s. on maxwell et al, just because a few others had their number retired when it shouldnt have been is not a valid reason to retire more numbers for poor reasons. the past is past, this is not.