It's been a tough past couple of seasons for Rondo, I'm glad he's finally found a spot where he fits in. I expect him to have a great 'revenge' game against Dallas when they meet.
Isn't the main difference between the two teams the fact that Dallas is all about winning and Sacto is used to being a bad team?
DAL is a winning team based off of the fact that they happened to catch lightning in a bottle with Dirk's last good year in the league (2011), and Tyson could still defend and rebound a little back then, too.
Plus, it helped that LeBron, Wade and Bosh couldn't replicate what BOS did in 2007-08.
Things fell into place for Dirk, and I'm glad about that.
As for Rajon Rondo I'll ALWAYS remember the Good Years in BOS and how he competed and played with like-minded players and coaching staff - not the mess in DAL where Cuban wanted to be the Great Miracle Worker.
Cuban should stick to Reality TV - along with Trump.
I agree regading Rondo.
For all of his current issues he has (and he does have a lot of them) I'll always remember the days in Boston - where he genuinely looked like one of the 3 or 4 top point guards in the NBA, and at some points even looked like arguably a top 10 player.
Rondo was basically a three point jumper away from being the next Jason Kidd: a pass-first, triple-double collecting extraordinaire. That he was able to do the things he did at a measly 6'1" was might impressive.
It's unfortunate that he came into the league at a time where pure pass-first point guards are going out of fashion, in favor of high octane offensive combo guards parading as point guards. If Rondo came into the league 5 years sooner, he'd probably still be impressing people.
The biggest problem with Rondo however, will always be his attitude. His basketball IQ is off the charts, and is almost unmatched in this league - unfortunately it seems like he's had a tendency to let that get to his head, leading to a high degree of arrogance which in turn has caused him to butt heads with a lot of coaches and other players.
I've seen people like Rondo before, at the various places I've worked. The young hotshot kid who is highly ambitious and extremely talented...but who's arrogance creates so many enemies that it holds him back from ever becoming / achieving what he should.
Nobody likes those kids. The ones who come in after a week in the organisation, and start telling the more experienced veterans how they should be doing things, talking back to managers, going out and trying to put changes in place without the right approvals, etc. The "top guns" types. Talent can get you a long way, but even great talent struggles to overcome great arrogance.
I just don't see him as being what you said - and I've never met him and probably never will.
His "warts" look a LOT bigger because DAL flamed out and HE (with his warts) was looked at to be the final piece. Even "I" thought it would work in DAL. Little did I know that Dirk was no where near the 2011 Dirk (nor a good defender EVER) nor was Tyson as effective as HE thought he was. It seemed fashionable to blame HIM and not the organization as well.
He evidently had these same supposed "warts" in BOS, too - right? I wonder why they did not seem so pronounced.....was it because KG (even in his twilight years) - defended(unlike Dirk)?
Was it because Paul Pierce - even NOW - is a better defender than Chandler Parsons? Heck, I'm talking about defense? Some of us here don't think he ever played DEFENSE in BOS.
I look at the totality of Rondo - just like I look at other players whom seemed gifted with more talent than he - but haven't achieved what Rondo has.
But these are just "MY" opinions and I won't deflect this Rondo-SAC thread any longer.
I believe SAC will be a better team this year and that it will work out for him, Boogie, Gay and Coach Karl.
I don't think Rondo's natural talent is as lacking as you suggest.
He might only be 6'1", but he has always been a freakish athletic with a freakish wingspan, and freakishly huge hands. Those long arms are a bit reason why he was able to be such a great defender early in his career, those huge hands are a big reason why he was able to do so many crazy things with the ball, and his elite quickness/speed was a big reason why he was and to wreak so much havok constantly.
Throw in his uncanny intangibles (basketball IQ, court vision, etc) and I think he's always been an incredibly gifted player.
Rondo has never been a natrual shooter, but that's really about the only thing he hasn't had going his way.
Also when I talk about mental concerns, i'm not even referring to his Dallas issues. I'm referring to the apparent issues he had in Boston at times with various players - it just seems like he's the type who constantly gets on people's nerves.
I absolutely admired his toughness and his scrappiness - full credit for that, and I think that's what earned him the respect of guys like Pierce and KG. But he always came across as a bit of an **** to be honest.
Anyhow, I think the Kings can;'t be judged (period) until Cousins returns. He is statistically already one of the most impressive centers to ever play the game and is a true force.
I think it's clear Rondo will never be the player he once was, but I think he'll be a quality starter for many years to come if he plays on the right team.
Topic: Rajon Rondo and the State of the Kings (Read 17008 times)