A lot of ink has been spend on a trade scenario that will never ever happen. Like never, never, ever. Let us count the ways:
1. The Kings want 3 pt shooting. They let a non-shooting SG walked, drafted a great 3-pt shooter (at least in college), signed a big man (Landry) who mastered the art of setting screens to open up shooters in GS, and dreamt of Klay Thompson. If it isn't obvious to everyone, let me spell it, the Kings want bombers out on the wings to open things up for Cousins inside.
I'll address this point by point. 1. Thomas isn't really a spot up shooter right now. He is a good three point shooter, but takes most of his threes off the dribble and in transition. Thomas is most effective in the lane where he is good at drawing contact and getting to the line and occasionally kicking the ball out to the perimeter. We don't run many pick and roll sets to free him up for a shot, and when we do, he takes most of those shots in the mid-range and not behind the arc. I don't see much different between how Rondo would run the team and how Thomas currently does other than that Rondo is a FAR superior floor general (really, there is almost no comparison between the two) while IT is more prone to get fouled and get to the line.
2. The Kings can't trade the #1 pick before the trade deadline.
Trading the pick is more difficult, but not impossible. We would have to involve Chicago in the trade somehow or get a pick back in return.
3. The Kings' offense is built on guards who can shoot. If we get Rondo, Malone will literally have to revamp the entire offense.
While I disagree about getting a guard who can shoot, you're not wrong about having to revamp the offense. Doc Rivers' offense in Boston was one of the more sophisticated offenses in running precise off-ball movements where Ray Allen would run through a gauntlet of screens that either freed him for a jumper or caused a bad rotation leading to a mismatch on Garnett or Pierce. While Malone is certainly better than Smart in running plays, his offense is still fairly basic, running mostly flex sets leading to low post opportunities for cousins or wing/high post takes for Gay. Asking the team to learn an entirely new offensive system based on Rondo being floor general is going to be ugly this year. It should pay dividends next year, though.
4. Even if the Kings can trade the #1 pick, IT + BMac + 1st rd pick are WAY TOO MUCH for Rondo. Let's think about the future - if BMac blows up into a 20 pt scorer and if the #1 pick turns out to be another stud; then you've basically traded away a dynasty for Rondo. Is Rondo a good player? Sure. If he worth the potential you're giving up? No. Seriously, this is the type of trade that could look very bad for PDA years from now and could possibly get him fired. PDA is NOT going to pull the trigger on this one. You can count on it.
The problem is that BMac isn't going to be a 20 ppg scorer with IT running point. IT is the 20 ppg scorer there. BMac would potentially be a great fit with Rondo. However, he's not the only guy who could be a great fit with Rondo. Really, you want a more developed guy than BMac in the starting lineup if you're going with a win-now scenario in getting Rondo, and, preferably, a guy who can score 12-15 points and defend the perimeter well. You can probably get Jodie Meeks, P.J. Tucker, or Brandon Rush for relatively cheap as replacement in the off-season, fitting any one of those guys under MLE. In the meantime, I think Thornton mights experience a mini-revival if he was getting the ball more than 3-4 times per game and getting it in good spots to shoot.
5. Rondo is no angel himself. A locker room with Rondo and Cousins? The question is is Malone up for it?
This is a legitimate concern. Still, I would rather have a winning team with some contention than a losing team that has barbeque at each other's houses on Fridays. Michael Jordan didn't get along with all his teammates. He punched Steve Kerr in the face at practice on that '96 bulls squad.
6. The Kings need to accumulate talent, they're in no position where it makes sense to give up three very talented players for one, unless that one is like a Durrant level player.
Fit matters. Timing matters. BMac may be a very good NBA player in 3 to 5 years. That isn't the timeline the team is working on now. Boogie and Gay need complementary players to help them win next year/2 years from now. BMac doesn't fit that timeline. IT doesn't fit the skillset/demeanor. The draft pick very likely does not fit the timeline. While Sacramento has not been a free agent destination in the past, if you tell some vets that you can get them playing time with Rondo/Gay/Cousins, you have an easier time persuading them to sign 1-2 year cheapie deals to try to make the playoffs.
7. Lets look at it from Cousins' point of view - you took away a PG that he developed great chemistry with and is a leader in the locker room and a great three-pt shooter; and replaced him with a great defensive passer who can't shoot and not a great locker room guy. Is he thinking, "Great! I continue to get touches... same as always" or is he thinking, "WTF! Teams are triple teaming me and my passes are not being converted. I have less space to work with because my PG refuses to shoot! To top it off, the new guy is moody just like me and I'd hate to deal with me!"
I disagree with the chemistry issue. From the beginning, having IT/Cousins/Gay on the floor is a bit of an odd mix because you have 3 high usage guys and both IT and Cousins want to score on the left block (IT on drives, Cousins on post-ups/high post iso). Rondo scores well, despite not being a scorer. He generally converts at just a shade under 50% from the field, but the major reason you bring him in is because of his gaudy assist%. If you want a happy big man, give him easy looks at the basket.
But the biggest reason you swap Ben/IT/Pick for Rondo is the defensive differential. The Kings NEED better perimeter defense. IT's perimeter defense, even when he is in the mood to play it, is subject to being shot over, and laughed at when he gets switched onto a big man. Rondo (pre-injury) was the single best defensive point guard in the league.
8. What guarantee do you have that Rondo will stick around? Answer: None. This could turn out to be a 1 1/2 season rental... for the price of IT, a young promising SG, and a lottery pick in a deep draft.
This is true, and it's a concern. You would have to hope that we start winning games next year and make a playoff push. That wouldn't guarantee that Rondo stays, but it would certainly lend itself to a strong argument. The team also has a fair amount of cap space to resign Rondo/Gay in 2015.
9. Keep in mind. Rondo becomes a FA in 2015. Which two teams have lots of caproom in 2015? The Knicks and the Lakers. If the Knicks or Lakers chase after Rondo what is the chance that he picks Sacramento?
It would be contingent upon winning. That's certainly an argument the Knicks will not be making next year (and probably not in 2015, either). The Lakers may be able to turn things around with a healthy Kobe/high pick/big free agent signing next year. I don't see Rondo and Kobe co-existing well, though. He and Nash were lackluster in the time they shared on the floor. I would give the advantage to Sacramento where the team would (presumably) be built around Rondo/Gay/Cousins with defensive roleplayers and 3 and D guys at the 2.