Rondo vs Thomas

[RJ87]

If IT is held to the same standard as Rondo, it won't matter how he plays. Despite being a 20 pt scorer, Sacramento made no attempt to keep him once he hit restricted free agency and Phoenix moved his "cap friendly" contract for an expiring and late first. So if his reputation is judged as harshly as Rondo, pass first vs. score is a moot point. He'll be hated.

[vinnie]

Meh. Like it matters?

[chambers]

To be fair to Rondo, JAson Kidd also struggled mightily when he was dealt to dallas.  They were in the same position and went .500 for the rest of the year.  It took an entire offseason for the team to adjust to him. Rondo is that much of an enigma where he plays his own style.

I think Thomas is a player who can put up numbers regardless. His game is as a scorer. He's not trying to control the other 4 players around him.

He's going to put up points here because he can create his own shot which is good because that's what we need.

Very good points. TP.
I didn't know that about Kidd being traded to Dallas and his adjustment period- quite relevant.

[Alleyoopster]

If IT is held to the same standard as Rondo, it won't matter how he plays. Despite being a 20 pt scorer, Sacramento made no attempt to keep him once he hit restricted free agency and Phoenix moved his "cap friendly" contract for an expiring and late first. So if his reputation is judged as harshly as Rondo, pass first vs. score is a moot point. He'll be hated.

My guess (in many instances) is if a player is traded for perceived or actual reputation problems they adjust so as not to be so disruptive or loathed.  A couple examples might be Ron Artest and Andre Blaske.  Artest mellowed out compared to his younger days and Blaske put in two years with the Nets without much fanfare.  This might be the case here.  The longer Thomas is in the league the more he will mature psychologically/emotionally and as a player. Even Rondo stopped sulking after every call in the last couple years.  And, he even didn't speak out against the coach when the team was playing poorly.  He seems to be a quiet camper in Dallas. 

On the other hand he could end up being problematic throughout his career.  However, I don't see that happening if he learned anything from his past and matures as he ages. 

[Vermont Green]

Danny's words in the Thomsen article:

"It's hard, it's challenging, to get a point guard that doesn't score, that's not a great defender, but that is a master passer -- and to pay him that much money,''

In the old days, people would debate you if you said Rondo wasn't a top 3 or top 5 PG in the game or if you didn't go along with the idea that Rondo was the best player on championship contending teams.  Now we are debating whether or not Rondo is better than a $9M per year back up PG.

Per Danny, Rondo is a point guard that doesn't score and is not a great defender but is a really good passer.  I think Rondo can be better than is has been so far in Dallas, but I am not sure he will figure it out this season.  I don't have a good feel yet for what we are getting in Thomas but I am hoping for something in the Avery Bradley range of value (different types of players I know). 

Remember, Bradley played some key minutes in some big games back in the big 3 days.  He is a fringe starter.  IT should be better than that from what I hear/read but in that range.

[CapnDunks]

Danny's words in the Thomsen article:

"It's hard, it's challenging, to get a point guard that doesn't score, that's not a great defender, but that is a master passer -- and to pay him that much money,''

In the old days, people would debate you if you said Rondo wasn't a top 3 or top 5 PG in the game or if you didn't go along with the idea that Rondo was the best player on championship contending teams.  Now we are debating whether or not Rondo is better than a $9M per year back up PG.

Per Danny, Rondo is a point guard that doesn't score and is not a great defender but is a really good passer.  I think Rondo can be better than is has been so far in Dallas, but I am not sure he will figure it out this season.

I think the fact that pre injury rondo corresponds to the last time we made the playoffs and the last time he had HOF teammates makes his current (long) slump hard to figure out. I, for one, was definitely just waiting for him to be motivated to be dynamic again. Not that simple. I know he gambled for steals with KG there to cover him but I don't think its at all correct to say Rondo wasn't a very good defender at one point. Also being able to shoot and being able to score are two different things. There was a time when Rondo had one of the best floaters in the league and took few shots but had the % of a player who only shot within 8 feet.

[JBcat]

Rondo being a free agent was not a guarantee to come back, and most likely will be overpaid this summer looking for a max contract.

Thomas OTH is on a great contract for 3 more years, and his contract will even look better in 2016 when the cap skyrockets.  We could flip him easily if we wanted to.

Then IMO we got a better package for Rondo than what we gave up for Thomas, not even factoring in yet what Ainge is going to do with 12.9 TE.

That is just off court stuff.  On court you can certainly make the case Thomas will be the better player going forward, is a little younger, and has had no major injuries in his past.

Overall IMO the switch to Rondo to Thomas is a slam dunk, and just maybe might be willing to come off the bench in a solid guard rotation. 

[BleedGreen1989]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk

[Alleyoopster]

Danny's words in the Thomsen article:

"It's hard, it's challenging, to get a point guard that doesn't score, that's not a great defender, but that is a master passer -- and to pay him that much money,''

In the old days, people would debate you if you said Rondo wasn't a top 3 or top 5 PG in the game or if you didn't go along with the idea that Rondo was the best player on championship contending teams.  Now we are debating whether or not Rondo is better than a $9M per year back up PG.

Per Danny, Rondo is a point guard that doesn't score and is not a great defender but is a really good passer.  I think Rondo can be better than is has been so far in Dallas, but I am not sure he will figure it out this season.  I don't have a good feel yet for what we are getting in Thomas but I am hoping for something in the Avery Bradley range of value (different types of players I know). 

Remember, Bradley played some key minutes in some big games back in the big 3 days.  He is a fringe starter.  IT should be better than that from what I hear/read but in that range.

I'm in the same boat...not having "a good feel yet for we are getting in Thomas".  The only thing that we seem to be assured of is that he will be entertaining.  Sometimes we'll get frustrated...other times, quite delighted. 

[hwangjini_1]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk

nice video. some posters simply need to say "hi. my name is X, and i'm a rondo-holic." after that, the next 11 steps will be easy. 

heck, i already see some progress as nowadays rondo threads only pop up every week or so.

[vinnie]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk

This. ENOUGH with Rondo. Honestly. Some people just can't get the hate out of their system and need to find any way they can to throw dirt on the guy.

[Vermont Green]

This. ENOUGH with Rondo. Honestly. Some people just can't get the hate out of their system and need to find any way they can to throw dirt on the guy.

I like following how Rondo does in Dallas and I think it is going to be interesting to follow how he does in FA.  I also like following how Pierce does in Washington and I will even be interested in how Prince does in Dallas.  Since Thomas is sort of Rondo's replacement, isn't it natural to want to debate Rondo vs Thomas on a forum whose whole purpose in life is to provide a place to debate all things Celtics?

Why is that "hate" or "throwing dirt" on Rondo?  I don't get why debating Rondo bothers people so much that they (you are certainly not the only one) call out people for it.  There is not that much else right now with this team.

It does seem like the people that Rondo is proving right by not playing well are more present in the forums than those not.  Maybe Rondo will start playing great, Mavs go on a winning streak and we will start hearing more from the "Rondo is a top 5 PG" crowd, and quiet the others.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Now we will see how they like the allen Iverson type......keep the ball, go to the hole.....while the rest of the team starves or rebounds for him..? hopefully not his way, but we will see..!!! Rondo was made for the Celtics system.....in Dallas, not as much.....he needs to leave that team.....I watched it the other day and they don't move for him...all they want to do is shoot from outside....chandler is a big, talented WORTHLESS cry baby....zeller would do more for dallas because he puts most into it.....chandler thinks he did it yesterday so it should be good enough.....

[playdream]

At this stage of his career he is about the same level of Phil Pressy
(considering the money he makes and the old reputation that you have to give him minutes he is even worse than Pressy)
I will not want Rondo back even at the minimum, and it looks like Ainge also thinks the same

[LarBrd33]

If IT is held to the same standard as Rondo, it won't matter how he plays. Despite being a 20 pt scorer, Sacramento made no attempt to keep him once he hit restricted free agency and Phoenix moved his "cap friendly" contract for an expiring and late first. So if his reputation is judged as harshly as Rondo, pass first vs. score is a moot point. He'll be hated.

Well to be fair, we have seen Thomas be an effective scorer in two systems.  We've only seen rondo effective as a distributor in one system.

That said, Thomas isn't coming in with expectations of being a "superstar leader".  It sounds like he will just be a solid player giving our bench an offensive lift.  Gimmicky mini guards like him never start long-term.  He's gonna be an Earl Boykins energy guy who will give you 12-15 off the bench.