Has The NBA Left Rajon Rondo Behind?

Rather a sad sight last night as I watched the last part of the Dallas/Houston game. Rondo was sitting on the floor beside the bench, watching. Never got put it.

This is a bad situation for him, I do not see Cuban offering him anything close to the contract he is yearning for. The worst thing that happened to him was he was a rookie on a team with three all stars who worked hard every day and made him look like another HOFer from Boston. Those days are gone and now he has to pick up the pieces and move on.

Rondo never wanted to change his game, he wanted to be in control constantly, holding that ball until it was too late to make anything but a desperation shot. He is so darned stubborn, but so darn talented. I think he has worn out his welcome in Dallas and Cuban will think nothing of trying to get rid of him and get something back. Looks like he was just a
little too hungry for another title.

I feel bad for the kid, I know I may be the only one, because he is in charge of his own destiny. I guess Danny moved him before he got nothing. Crowder has been a pleasure to watch.
It is strange how things work out, the off season will be an interesting one.

Rosalie

He will be a future back up, too many holes in his game that he never improved on, amazing fall for a player in the conversation as the top 2 or 3 point guards in the league.....sad really.

cowens/oldschool wrote:He will be a future back up, too many holes in his game that he never improved on, amazing fall for a player in the conversation as the top 2 or 3 point guards in the league.....sad really.

It is sad Cow, he has imploded from within,the kid had so much talent, he was the spark plug in the engine in 08. Had so many memorable moments and games for us..........and now this.

The turnover last evening where he gets called for an 8 second backcourt violation......no pressure......just walking the ball up the court. That is just sort off a microcosm of what he has become.

beat

beat that 8 second call with no pressure was pathetic, how can your head be so not into the game? young points have been killing him, he doesn't have the explosion or energy anymore.

Rondo will have to settle for a 1 year probably $5m contract.
One thing that is being confirmed by the playoffs is that I do not want Rondo or Love to wear a Lakers uniform.
If Rondo played like this with the Lakers it would be so much worse because Kobe would be all over him.
Rondo will probably sign a 1 year deal this summer with a contender, not a rebuilding team.
It's crazy how bad Rondo has played all season.

tj Lakers found some young kid who had some very good games at point....they should stick with that kid, who wants a point that shoots 35% from the line and can't run?

"Rondo will probably sign a 1 year deal this summer with a contender, not a rebuilding team."

I thought that Dallas was a contending team. It's going to be a really interesting summer for Rondo.

cowens/oldschool wrote:tj Lakers found some young kid who had some very good games at point....they should stick with that kid, who wants a point that shoots 35% from the line and can't run?

Cowens,

You are 100% right.
I'm not saying Clarkson is the Lakers pg of the future, but I don't want to give Rondo Clarkson's minutes for a team whose goal next year will be to just make the playoffs.
I hope the Lakers offer a max contract to Reggie Jackson or give Clarkson another chance to win the pg job.
I have no interest in Rondo, whether it's his game or his attitude.

Sloopjohnb wrote:"Rondo will probably sign a 1 year deal this summer with a contender, not a rebuilding team."

I thought that Dallas was a contending team.  It's going to be a really interesting summer for Rondo.

Dallas is (or was until Rondo got there), a contending team.
If Rondo has another year like this year, he will be getting veterans minimum contract offers.

I'm not about to start a poll about it, but I wonder how many people think the Celtics' rebuild would have been better served (at this point in time) with Rondo, rather than Crowder, on the team.  I realize that Rajon and Jae play different positions, and I'm not trying to compare their individual strengths and weaknesses.  But I believe it's a fair question as to whether the direction the team is taking (1) is farther ahead with Crowder as part of it and Rondo gone or (2) would have been farther ahead with Rondo as part of it and Jae never being here.

Sam

Sam, We've been better with Jae than Rajon, and I prefer him not to be on our team However, I'm not one to flush RR down the toilet just yet. I don't think his problems are physical, just mental. I do think KG or PP will reach out to him and perhaps help get him back on track. I love what he did for us over the years, the heart with which he played. He can get his head screwed back on straight. I'll root for him to succeed henceforth in every venue, except in games against Boston. Love ya Rajon.

A big part of this seems to be a test of wills between Carlisle and Rondo. Both of them want to call the plays and run the offense. The thing is, when joining a team midseason, and especially when going to a contender, Rondo should be the one making an effort to fit in, not expecting everyone in Dallas to fit around him.

To go from such a solid performer to this is a shame.

Given the scope of his free-fall, I wonder if he has some underlying mental or emotional health issues. The bigger issue may be Rondo the person, not Rondo the player.

Funny that he's still a champ at Connect Four. He needs to learn how to connect with coaches.

W, I agree that it's not our business to flush Rondo down the toilet.  Actually, I suppose it's none of our business, period.

In the past few years, I've found that it's fairly easy for fans to react to Celtics departures with antipathy for the departed.  Especially if the departed's name was Ray or Doc or now Rondo.

I appreciated the good things the Celtics did with him as a member (which I think could be a more appropriate retrospective viewpoint than what he personally did for the team or for us).  For me, it will always be all about the team; and, if Rajon can hook up with a team whose circumstances are a better fit for his presence, I hope it goes very well for him.

Sam

Would the rebuild be further along had the team kept Rondo?

I guess it depends on how much value you place on the 3% chance of getting a top three lottery pick.

Personally, I'd take Crowder as well as the other assets that were the direct or indirect results from the trade, clearing cap space and the development offered by the playoffs to the luck of the Ping-Pong balls and letting Rondo walk for nothing.

Interesting that so many fans react with antipathy to Ray and Doc leaving.  I don't think we could have asked for more from either of them while they were here.   Ray wanted another shot at a title and Doc didn't want to go through another rebuilding.  

I can't blame either for that.

Crowder, hands down. This is not a slap at Rajon, it is just that the way Stevens wants his team run is for everyone to touch the ball. Rondo, as we all know, had a way of slowing down the game, keeping the ball in his hands until either he saw an opportunity for one person to take a shot with just seconds left on the 24 second clock. It is a lousy way to play ball. His habits were okay when Paul, KG and Ray were here because they all seemed to be able to bail him out. And, on the rare occasions, shoot the ball himself and make a fantastic play. Obviously, this just does not work with Carlisle either.

Jae Crowder has been a God send to this team His energy sparks the offense and the defense. I am not making a superstar out of him, just a reliable ball player that I love on my team.

tjmakz wrote:Rondo will have to settle for a 1 year probably $5m contract.
One thing that is being confirmed by the playoffs is that I do not want Rondo or Love to wear a Lakers uniform.
If Rondo played like this with the Lakers it would be so much worse because Kobe would be all over him.
Rondo will probably sign a 1 year deal this summer with a contender, not a rebuilding team.
It's crazy how bad Rondo has played all season.

thats strange, because I am hoping that the lakers sign BOTH to max deals, myself!!




maybe they'll draft that Kaminsky kid too!!


boy, I would like that

RosalieTCeltics wrote:Crowder, hands down. This is not a slap at Rajon, it is just that the way Stevens wants his team run is for everyone to touch the ball.  Rondo, as we all know, had a way of slowing down the game, keeping the ball in his hands until either he saw an opportunity for one person to take a shot with just seconds left on the 24 second clock. It is a lousy way to play ball. His habits were okay when Paul, KG and Ray were here because they all seemed to be able to bail him out. And, on the rare occasions, shoot the ball himself and make a fantastic play. Obviously, this just does not work with Carlisle either.

Jae Crowder has been a God send to this team His energy sparks the offense and the defense. I am not making a superstar out of him, just a reliable ball player that I love on my team.

Crowder is a lesser version of Draymond Green , who happens to be all the rage this year for some reason.

Check out their numbers (Crowders' with us particularly). Some are saying Green may get $14-15M per year, lets hope some other team doesn't see the same thing and offer Crowder some big dollar deal in the off-season.