Why the Celts next move should be to trade Rondo

[tlance]

If Boston is going to rebuild, they might as well do it right and try to maximize their chances of landing one of the legitimate franchise building blocks that will likely be available in the 2014 draft.

Here are some of Rondo's efficiency stats, which illustrate why he is somewhat overrated. Many people think he is in the same class as Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and Tony Parker as one of the premier PGs in the league based on his stats. This assumption may be off base.

Rondo led the league in assists per game in 2012/2013, but he also led the league in TOs per game and TOs per 48 minutes. His assist to turnover rate was still a very respectable 2.84, but he finished behind the following PGs in assist/TO. All of these players averaged over 20 minutes per game.

Chris Paul
Jose Calderon
Jason Kidd
AJ Price
Kirk Hinrich
George Hill
Tony Parker
G. Vasquez

Add in the fact that Rondo does not shoot the 3 (12 of 50 in 38 games), and you have a turnover prone player whom defenses are able to sag off of.

When ranking all of the point guards in PER, Rondo finished a disappointing 12th. He had a PER of 18.12. To put things in prospective, CP3 had a PG leading PER of 26.43. Here is how they rank after CP3:

Westbrook
Parker
Irving
Curry
Wall
D. Williams
K. Walker
Calderon
Conley
T. Evans
Rondo

The PER stat is not perfect, but there is a pretty strong correlation with players who most would identify as being "elite" and a high PER ranking. Rondo simply isn't in that class.

Don't get me wrong. I love the energy with which Rondo plays in big games and I love that he is the definition of a pass first point guard. Thing is, it is near impossible to build an NBA team around a point guard unless they are the model of efficiency. Rojon Rondo is not that.

You claim Rondo is one of the best PGs in the game, but if you look at team data, the Celtics score more points per possession when Rondo is not on the court than they do when he is and their defense is only marginally worse based on per-possession data. If Rondo were truly as good as you say, these stats would tell a different story.

Rondo is a great piece to the puzzle if he is in the right system. He is ideally suited to push tempo on a team with many shooters around him. If he is your franchise player, the Celts will win too many games to find an elite player in the draft lottery, but they will be somewhere between 6-10 in the East. Not good for rebuilding.

 

[Crotchrocker]

Kill yourself. Word.

 

[JDM]

Trading rondo is throwing in the towel. Absolutely no need for that.

 

[Crotchrocker]

Rondo is a top five point guard in this league, period. Word.

 

[tlance]

Trading rondo is throwing in the towel. Absolutely no need for that.

So you guys would rather see the Celtics struggle to make the play-offs each year?

Unless Ainge has a big move up his sleeve, this is what they need in order to contend for a title in the future. I thought that was what the Celtics were about.

 

[tlance]

Rondo is a top five point guard in this league, period. Word.

That is the point Crotch. People value him as a top 5 PG, when the reality is that he isn't. He has a hefty trade value because of these perceptions.

Also, you can't build a franchise around a good PG. He would need to be great.

 

[shitsho]

Rondo is one of those players that I cant quite put a finger on. If you look at his stats he does look like a less than stellar player. However, he brings a whole host of intangibles that cannot be measured. To me his only flaw is his attitude. He is the one of a few guards in the league that can be a 1 man fast break. He plays some good D and is a natural leader. Also he can hit the jump shot when he has to so I dont know if that is a mental thing or not.

 

[tlance]

Rondo is a top five point guard in this league, period. Word.

No GM in the league would take Rondo over these guys:

Paul
Westbrook
Parker
Irving
Curry

Whether or not you prefer Rondo over these guys is a matter of preference and fit:

D. Williams
Wall
Conley
Lawson

Rondo belongs somewhere in this tier, not the first one. He is NOT a top 5 PG.

 

[trojanfan12]

The Lakers have nothing to offer the Celtics that they didn't just get rid of (old players with big contracts), but Rondo would be interesting in a D'Antoni style offense!! It would be interesting if the C's next coach wanted to run that type of up-tempo offense with Rondo at the PG!!

 

[Crotchrocker]

You fool! Rondo is a triple-double waiting to happen. YOU couldn't be GM of a middle school team, dude. Boston will be just fine building AROUND Rondo. Not trading him away. Word.

 

[tlance]

You fool! Rondo is a triple-double waiting to happen. YOU couldn't be GM of a middle school team, dude. Boston will be just fine building AROUND Rondo. Not trading him away. Word.

I would like to hear an intelligent response.

Crotch is clearly thinking with his heart, not his head. Again, if you want to be in the back half of the playoffs every year, then build around Rondo.

Patience and a true rebuild can allow the Celtics to be great again in 3-4 years.

 

[tlance]

Also, the Celtics aren't going to have much cap space in order to sign the necessary components to make them contenders this off season or next.

Moving Gerald Wallace along with Rondo may be the only way to get him off the books. Wallace is not eligible to be amnestied.

 

[dblakejr7]

Before suggesting trade rondo.. which there is nothing wrong with the suggestion the team is blown up already.. look at it this way.. who would the Cs get to replace him now.. this year.. not looking forward.. right now rondo is the best option to compete .. lets see what happens after free agency.. perhaps we will see danny make a wonderful stroke and push the celtics back to the top.. if not it will happen in the next few years where they have 9 first round picks..

rondo is a fan fave.. you need fans in the seats.. why trade away a draw when economics tell you to keep him?

 

[dblakejr7]

i think you have your figures wrong.. the celtics dumped tons of money off the books in that trade..

 

[Shanemansj13]

I have mixed feelings. I think he is overvalued, which means you could get a lot for him, but they need a young star to help win some games.

I really don't give a shit about the C's

 

[Shanemansj13]

No GM in the league would take Rondo over these guys:

Paul
Westbrook
Parker
Irving
Curry

Whether or not you prefer Rondo over these guys is a matter of preference and fit:

D. Williams
Wall
Conley
Lawson

Rondo belongs somewhere in this tier, not the first one. He is NOT a top 5 PG.

If they can get a good deal why not, but for now keep him.

Where is D Rose??

 

[tlance]

i think you have your figures wrong.. the celtics dumped tons of money off the books in that trade..

In the short term, you are correct. They save a lot of $.

Long term though, they add Gerald Wallace who has 3 years left I believe. Pierce would have come off the books next year and KG possibly too if the C's chose not to renew his team option. Wallace's contract could prohibit the C's from signing a big free agent in 2014.

As for putting fans in the seats, fans make these issues so hard for the franchise. Fans hate to see a bottom feeding year, but it is nearly impossible to build a contender from the middle of the league without signing a superstar in free agency. In most cases, it is in the best interest of the franchise to rebuild the right way, but fans lack the patience for it.

 

[tlance]

If they can get a good deal why not, but for now keep him.

Where is D Rose??

LOL. I forgot about D Rose.

Hard to say where he ranks. If he is anything close to the player he was before the injury, I would put him in the top group. I need to see him play first though.

 

[Clayton]

I think there is a point where a team can trade away too much.

I also don't think the Celtics should trade away Rondo because I don't think his trade value is as high as fans think it is. I also think that Rondo is a valuable piece just for the ability to show up during the playoffs. He has an on/off switch, imo, but since his value is likely very low right now you have to appreciate his 'on' switch in the playoffs. Rondo is a guy that can go against Rose and outplay him. You don't give that up, imo.

 

[Tubbs1518]

way to leave out the other things Rondo does well that most other PGs don't. He is a great rebounder and one of the better defenders at that position. You don't trade Rondo. He is still young and can grow with any draft picks they bring in.