LeBron James Joining Cavs Could Spell Rajon Rondo’s End With Celtics

NESN
by Ben Watanabe on Fri, Jul 11, 2014 at 2:01PM

Fancred LeBron James’ decision to go back to Cleveland was the worst-case scenario for the Miami Heat. But it also isn’t so hot for the Boston Celtics. As in, say so long, Rajon Rondo. With James announcing Friday that he will sign with his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers, there is suddenly a new leader in the Kevin Love sweepstakes.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Love reportedly nixed a possible trade to the Cavs, saying he wouldn’t re-sign there. Now, he is open to the idea of signing with Cleveland if a trade takes place. I wonder what changed his mind? That’s bad news for the Celtics, obviously, who can’t match Cleveland’s offer of No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins to the Minnesota Timberwolves. No combination of Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, Marcus Smart and draft picks can trump that.

Wolves coach/president/part-owner Flip Saunders’ patience will have paid off mightily if he ends up netting Wiggins, although such a move would contradict his stated goal of not taking a backward step, even temporarily.

But the Celtics lose more than a shot at an All-Star power forward. They could lose an All-Star point guard, too. Holding onto Rondo just doesn’t make sense for the Celtics anymore if Love goes to Cleveland. He’s 28 years old, with one year and $12.9 million left on his contract. The minor moves the Celtics made so far this offseason have not vaulted them out of NBA purgatory in the short-term.

It simply wouldn’t be fair, to Rondo or to the Celtics, to keep him around. This is something close observers have been hearing and saying for a while, but Friday’s announcement and the dominoes that are likely to fall hammered home the reality. The Celtics figure to be in this rebuild for the long haul now.

The draft pick they received in this week’s three-team trade is still valuable, but less s0 with James in Cleveland. Instead of a possible lottery pick, it’s now likely to fall somewhere in the late 20s. Rondo has said he wants to stay in Boston, and he seems to be telling the truth, but what he wants and what the Celtics can deliver might not jell. Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck promised “fireworks” this summer — so far, the fireworks are exploding over Lake Erie.

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has reminded everyone, numerous times, “it’s a long offseason.” Man, is Ainge ever right. The offseason technically only began Thursday, but for the Celtics, it certainly looks very long indeed.

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WONDER IF DANNY NOW HAS BUYERS REMORSE REGARDING CLEVELAND TRADE.

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112288 wrote:WONDER IF DANNY NOW HAS BUYERS REMORSE REGARDING CLEVELAND TRADE.

112288

Doubt it.

Why would Kevin Love be the end-all, be-all?


KJ

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Why should Danny have buyer's remorse. He knew the possibilities concerning Rondo before making the trade. He brought better balance to the roster by making the trade. He expended precisely no important assets in making the trade.

I expect Danny is contemplating his next move rather than experiencing buyer's remorse.

Sam

Wow.

What a total load of BS.

How do these dots connect?

Nothing to write? Rondo is getting traded. LeBron to Cleveland? Rondo is getting traded. Price of gasoline rises? Rondo is getting traded. GM recalls 2 million cars? Rondo is getting traded. Global warming? Rondo again.

Every day, every year, Rondo is getting traded. Say it long enough, eventually it happens. He'll get traded 8 years from now and one of these idiots will say "see; I said it would happen!"

Sam, game of chess.................the LaBron deal does not go down unless the Celtics do the deal. I would have asked for more assets in the deal or I would have blocked the deal by not doing the deal............I mean every other GM is playing hardball with the Celtics and Danny basically gives Cleveland the ability to be the #1 ranked team in the East for the next 4 years for peripheral talent.

Further, the big fish Love Danny is stalking said tonight via NESN that he would consider signing a max contract with Cleveland and it is said that Cleveland has assets to attract a trade with Minny.

So you think Rondo is going to stick around?  As much as Rondo says he wants to stay in Boston........he also wants another championship................try minimum 4 years from now if we cannot attract a top guy like Love.  Second, will the Celtics pay a point guard a 5 year max contract $20+ million a year that Rondo will demand?  Highly doubt it!  So barring something out of the ordinary he is gone next year...........and Danny will try to salvage some talent by trading him.

So let us check who we can get in free agency in 2015.....the list is below.  Some attractive players but nothing to shout about to call a dominate player in a key position.  The only hope for Love is that he is not traded, and Danny can keep banging on Flips door with a snow shovel.......perhaps he'll open it for Danny.............if that takes place.............Rondo will resign and for less then max.........and the filler free agent talent to surround them in 2015 becomes easier.

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PS Sam I hope you are right with your ending post regarding Danny.....I can only hope!


Point Guards
J.J. Barea (31)
Steve Blake (35) – $2.17MM player option
Will Bynum (32)
Isaiah Canaan (24) (N)
Norris Cole (27) (R)
Goran Dragic (29) – $7.5MM player option
Raymond Felton (31) – $3.95MM player option
Diante Garrett (27) (N)
Reggie Jackson (25) (R)
Cory Joseph (24) (R)
Brandon Knight (24) (R)
Jeremy Lin (27)
Ray McCallum (24) (N)
Kendall Marshall (24) (N)
Steve Nash (41)
Pablo Prigioni (38) (N)
Nate Robinson (31)
Rajon Rondo (29)
Ricky Rubio (25) (R)
Sebastian Telfair (30)
Beno Udrih (33) (N)
Kemba Walker (25) (R)
C.J. Watson (31)
Nate Wolters (24) (N)

Shooting Guards
Arron Afflalo (30) – $7.94MM player option
Marco Belinelli (29)
Alec Burks (24) (R)
Allen Crabbe (23) (N)
Mike Dunleavy Jr. (35)
Wayne Ellington (28)
Monta Ellis (30) – $8.72MM player option
Carrick Felix (25) (N)
Jamaal Franklin (24) (N)
Manu Ginobili (38)
Eric Gordon (27) – $15.51MM player option
Danny Green (28)
Gerald Henderson (28) – $6MM player option
Ricky Ledo (23) (N)
Wesley Matthews (29)
Gary Neal (31)
Jason Richardson (34)
Iman Shumpert (25) (R)
Alexey Shved (27) (R)
J.R. Smith (30) – $6.4MM player option
Jason Terry (38)
Klay Thompson (25) (R)
Marcus Thornton (28)
Elliot Williams (26) (N)
Louis Williams (29)

Small Forwards
Matt Barnes (35) (N)
Corey Brewer (29) – $4.91MM player option
Chase Budinger (27) – $5MM player option
Jimmy Butler (26) (R)
Wilson Chandler (28) (N)
Victor Claver (27) (R)
Chris Copeland (31) (R)
Jae Crowder (25) (R)
Gigi Datome (28) (R)
Carlos Delfino (33) (N)
Jared Dudley (30) – $4.25MM player option
Jeremy Evans (28)
Landry Fields (27)
Rudy Gay (29)
Danny Granger (32) – $2.17MM player option
Gerald Green (29)
Jeff Green (29) – $9.2MM player option
Jordan Hamilton (25) (R)
Tobias Harris (23) (R)
Andrei Kirilenko (34)
Kawhi Leonard (24) (R)
Cartier Martin (31) - $1.27MM player option
Luc Mbah a Moute (29)
Travis Outlaw (31)
Tayshaun Prince (35)
Kyle Singler (27) (R)
Dorell Wright (30)

Power Forwards
LaMarcus Aldridge (30)
Darrell Arthur (27)
Andrea Bargnani (30)
Brandon Bass (30)
Carlos Boozer (34)
DeMarre Carroll (29)
Nick Collison (35)
Glen Davis (29)
Tim Duncan (39)
Reggie Evans (35)
Kenneth Faried (26) (R)
Joel Freeland (28) (R)
Kevin Garnett (39)
Chuck Hayes (32)
Jonas Jerebko (28)
Kevin Love (27) – $16.74MM player option
Paul Millsap (30)
Tony Mitchell (23) (N)
Marcus Morris (26) (R)
Markieff Morris (26) (R)
Jeff Pendergraph (28)
Anthony Randolph (26)
Luis Scola (35)
Marreese Speights (28) – $3.82MM team option
Amar’e Stoudemire (33)
Mirza Teletovic (30) (R)
Tristan Thompson (24) (R)
David West (35) – $12.6MM player option
Derrick Williams (24) (R)
Brandan Wright (28)
Thaddeus Young (27) – $9.97MM player option

Centers
Alexis Ajinca (27)
Joel Anthony (33)
Omer Asik (29)
Bismack Biyombo (23) (R)
Tyson Chandler (33)
Vitor Faverani (27) (N)
Marc Gasol (30)
Brendan Haywood (36) (N)
Roy Hibbert (29) – $15.51MM player option
Al Jefferson (30) – $13.83MM player option
DeAndre Jordan (27)
Chris Kaman (33) (N)
Enes Kanter (23) (R)
Ognjen Kuzmic (25) (R)
Brook Lopez (27) – $16.74MM player option
Robin Lopez (27)
Timofey Mozgov (29) – $4.95MM team option
Kendrick Perkins (31)
Miroslav Raduljica (27) (N)
Greg Smith (24)
Ronny Turiaf (32)
Jeremy Tyler (24) (N)
Nikola Vucevic (25) (R)

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RosalieTCeltics wrote:He makes no bones about it, talking about how many teams he will "tour" next summer. He is being a jerk talking like this now, he is still under contract. Watch out Rondo, you will be gone by February.

He has rights, but I don't like the way he is acting. See you later, you are making it easier to cut ties.

Rosalie

Considering all the speculation and rumors about it that we've seen for years, I find it hard to blame Rondo for not talking about it himself. He's certainly not the primary force though driving him out of Boston.

Media types have been talking "Trade Rondo" for years. To be perfectly honest, I believe Rondo has every right to respond how he feels. It can't exactly be an enjoyable experience to be the center of endless rumors in the city that drafted you/you won a championship in. I think Rondo genuinely wants to stay, but there are those trying to push him out.



KJ

Don't see much in this read. No dots to connect, just says Rondo should be traded because...he's Rondo?

Absolutely Rondo could be traded because of this.  He could be traded because:

1.  That would be exciting for sports writers.

2.  Rondo's a coach-killer.  That's why he has had only 2 his entire career.

3.  It wouldn't be right to him to keep him until he's 30-32 before he gets another shot at a championship.  In 2008 KG was 31, Pierce (who had stuck around the whole time) was 30 and Ray Allen was 33.  They not only won a championship, but had real good shots at 2 more.  Rondo is more like Pierce than KG or Allen, he has been a Celtic his entire career.  Maybe he sees #9 hanging from the rafters.  That might not happen if he leaves, like the way #20 might not go up because Ray left us.

4.  Rondo might walk and we'll get nothing for him.  That's because teams are just sitting there with $20M of cap space to sign a single player.  What if he doesn't come all the way back and he's not worth $20M?  Then what are we afraid of?  Market value is market value.

5.  It's the dog days of summer and there's no actual basketball to talk about.

6.  Gary Tanguay is a basketball equivalent of Albert Einstein and he says it should happen and will.


I stubbed my toe on the leg of my couch the other day.  I think that event makes it clear that Danny will trade Rondo.

Rondo wants to win.  Good.  Rondo trusts Danny.  Good.  Rondo knows things don't happen on a schedule but could change dramatically in a short period of time like they did in the summer of 2007.  Good.  Rondo is talking about his upcoming "tour" of suitors.  Not so good.  STFU Rajon and ball.  If your agent wants to say something, that's what you're paying him for.



bob


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