[Grades] Grades v. Blazers 4/9/2-014

[hrdboild]

We don't need to trade for Rondo though, or at least we don't need to give up a pick for him. He's a free agent next year. Part of the reason I'm okay with McCallum as the starting PG next year is that it keeps open the option of signing Rondo as a free agent. He seems pretty adamant about not signing an extension and going through the free agency process, so why give up assets for a short-term rental?

 

[Bricklayer]

We don't need to trade for Rondo though, or at least we don't need to give up a pick for him. He's a free agent next year. Part of the reason I'm okay with McCallum as the starting PG next year is that it keeps open the option of signing Rondo as a free agent. He seems pretty adamant about not signing an extension and going through the free agency process, so why give up assets for a short-term rental?

a) to win
b) because Rajon Rondo most CERTAINLY will not be signing in Sacramento coming off its 9th straight season of futility.
c) because once you have a player on your team, while you are winning, they are far less likely to pull up and leave. Why would they? That was the same gamble Petrie took time and again back in the day, and it always paid off. Get them in the door for good times, and they will stay. (I cannot guarantee that in Rondo's case only because he has deep East Coast roots and may have been sucking on the same poison as the rest of his generation's self-entitled stars)

 

[hrdboild]

So just keeping track... you want to gamble on IT's shot selection, Rudy not getting complacent with another long-term contract in the books, and Rondo developing fuzzy feelings for Sacramento and I'm the crazy one. Okay.

 

[kupman]

I highlighted where I think the fallacy lies.

IT is not being FORCED into shooting or smothering the ball. He is doing exactly what he wants to do. In fact actually I have seen occasional signs this year that he's ALREADY shooting less than his instincts tell him to do. And the thing is, as I mentioned, what is the point of taking a 5'9" scoring PG off the ball? At that point you might as well put me out there.

Now the minutes/make him 6th man thing has always been my solution to all that. Don't make him play a game where he doesn't help you. Let him play his game, but control the minutes he's out there doing it so he doesn't drain the offensive life out of his teammates.

IMHO, he does/did need to take the shots and be a threat with the dribble. If he was not, we have no threat in the backcourt whatsoever.

 

[Bricklayer]

IMHO, he does/did need to take the shots and be a threat with the dribble. If he was not, we have no threat in the backcourt whatsoever.

He has done it his entire career, at all levels. He did it last year with Reke. He did it off the bench. He did it as a starter. Its who he is. Its who Nate Robinson was too.