Rajon Rondo to be a Free Agent in 2010

It would be more encouraging if the reason he was going to become a free agent wasn't because his agent was demanding he get a Top 5 PG salary.

This is true. I thought it was worth having a topic about it anyway, but he most certainly will be overpaid by someone next year. So many teams have money next year and young, triple-double dropping, all-defense PGs don't come around often.
 
It would be more encouraging if the reason he was going to become a free agent wasn't because his agent was demanding he get a Top 5 PG salary.
I haven't traditionally been a Rondo fan, but considering how he played last season and in the playoffs (particularly against the Bulls, nearly averaging a triple double), the argument could be made that he's a top five point guard, or close to it. I wouldn't be interested in seeing the Kings throw $50 or $60 million at him, but I wouldn't be shocked to see someone else do so.
 
It's an odd decision to announce this now. I'm not sure when the earliest time he could sign an extension is, but if he has a sub-par season this season, he could potentially cost himself a LOT of money
 
While I want to see the Kings pursue high value free agents, a Rondo/Evans back court might be the worst shooting back court in the league. Rondo will also likely want way too much.
 
But isn't he a Top 5 PG?

I was trying to think of better point guards than him and I got
Definitely Better:
CP3, Jameer Nelson, Deron Williams, Nash, Tony Parker
About the same or slightly better:
Chauncey Billups, Devin Harris

He probably gets the "Bibby Bounce" from his playoff performance. So he might deserve top 5 money as Nash starts to fade. But good luck getting it in this market.
 
I dont even think its arguable that Rondo is a top 5 point guard. Paul, Williams, Parker, Arenas, Kidd, Billups, Harris, Rose are all better than him. Ive never been sold on Rondo. Rondo must put together a top 5 point guard SEASON before being mentioned in such a list.
 
While I want to see the Kings pursue high value free agents, a Rondo/Evans back court might be the worst shooting back court in the league. Rondo will also likely want way too much.

I'd still do it, for the right price. We'd win every defense/hustle battle in the backcourt, and becoming a respectable three point shooter is one of those things that can often be learned.

But if his agent is looking for him to get paid $13mil a season or somesuch, well, there are limits.
 
I'd still do it, for the right price. We'd win every defense/hustle battle in the backcourt, and becoming a respectable three point shooter is one of those things that can often be learned.

But if his agent is looking for him to get paid $13mil a season or somesuch, well, there are limits.

But he's not a true point guard!:D
 
I dont even think its arguable that Rondo is a top 5 point guard. Paul, Williams, Parker, Arenas, Kidd, Billups, Harris, Rose are all better than him. Ive never been sold on Rondo. Rondo must put together a top 5 point guard SEASON before being mentioned in such a list.
Not to be argumentative, but I'd take Kidd and Arenas off that list (Kidd is 36 and doesn't do as much as he used to, and Arenas is more of a shooting guard and has only played 15 games the past two years). I'd put Harris and Rose in the same class as Rondo, with reservations on Rose because he's only in his second year. Paul, Williams, Parker, Billups, and Nash are probably the top five, but Rondo is on the bubble, with Jameer Nelson, Harris and Rose.
 
And Nash is already on the downswing. Harris is a terrific scorer and an above average defender, but he's not elite level at setting up teammates. Billups is getting older too (and totally tanked against the Lakers in the playoffs last year). So there's questions about a lot of these guys. Nelson can't guard anybody, Arenas has to prove he can stay healthy (plus he's got a huge contract). CP3 and DWill are obviously better and still young but also unobtainable. I wouldn't put Rondo top 5 yet, but I expect he'll be there in a couple more years.

And I don't think there's any question Rondo is the best defender at the PG position. CP3 gets the steals (hence the first team all-defense nod), but he also gets caught gambling a lot. I'd put Rose right up there defensively. He's got the advantage in athleticism on pretty much everyone (maybe not John Wall next year). And I think he'll grow into a better jump shot. But he's staying in Chicago for a long time.

Rondo has already improved his jump shot considerably in three seasons. I don't think he'll ever be a consistent 3 point threat. And that's fine. He can do everything else. The possibility of running the best defensive backcourt in the league every night makes it worth it I think. Especially since our GM is allergic to defensive big men.
 
I dont rate steve nash as highly as everyone else because hes only effective on one side of the court. Steve Nash has no D. While Arenas has only played 15 games in his last 2 years, it cant be argued that Rondo is better than Arenas right now. Nor can the arguement be made that Rondo is better than Kidd RIGHT NOW. Rondo is nice, but one playoff series doesnt propel you above players that are flat out better.
 
I've asked my friends this question a couple times. Who do you think wins a ring first, derron Williams or CP3? Paul has more skills but idk there's something about Williams that stands out to me. He plays with a lot of heart and hustle and tenacity. My pick would be Williams even though I'm still a huge Paul fan.
 
This is probably the best chance Rondo will be available--and clearly, it's the best time to nab him since he's on an upswing, has unique talents and is only 23 years old. I think Ainge is playing this coy though--he wants to lower Rondo's value by raising a red flag about his hotheadedness and overall maturity, so he could sign him at a better price; I'm pretty sure he wants him in the end. I'm not even sure if he wanted the overrated Rodney Stuckey anyway in that draft day deal. Who wants to get rid of a great athlete who imposes the athleticism and has elite passing skills? But, in what I estimate to be the less than 2% chance that he's really available, we should attempt to get him--that would put less pressure on Tyreke's ballhandling and he would work to establish his slashing ability, and we would have a lethal athletic 2-guard front that can impose their athleticism on both ends of the court.
 
depends on where our pick is this season and how reke develops, we could land our PG of the future this draft or he could fill the void. If not then rondo is a viable option but finances need to be assessed
 
I dont rate steve nash as highly as everyone else because hes only effective on one side of the court. Steve Nash has no D. While Arenas has only played 15 games in his last 2 years, it cant be argued that Rondo is better than Arenas right now. Nor can the arguement be made that Rondo is better than Kidd RIGHT NOW. Rondo is nice, but one playoff series doesnt propel you above players that are flat out better.
Steve Nash has as much impact on his team's success, even with his defensive limitations, as any other point guard in the league.

Gilbert Arenas is more of a shooting guard, and until he is back and consistently playing at a high level (took a big step in that direction last night), I can't put him in the top five anything. He hasn't played in two years.

Jason Kidd probably isn't top ten anymore. If I had to choose one player, for just one season, salaries are no consideration, team composition is no consideration, I'm taking Rondo, straight up, over Kidd. He had some really great years, but they are all way behind him now. Unlike another aging point guard, Nash, he can't shoot, so his impact on the game is severely diminished as he gets older and slower.

Rondo had a significant impact on the Celtics season last year, and especially with Garnett missing a lot of time, he really stepped it up. That really showed in the playoffs, but it was there all season. Like I said, I'm not a huge Rondo fan, but I am a believer. He's not what I'd want in a prototypical point guard, but he does a great job for his team, and he's an on-the-bubble star in this league. He's right outside the top five, at least, and it's likely that he gets top five money from someone.
 
I love hypothetical situations, since we COULD possibly have a backcourt of John Wall, Rondo, Tyreke and Martin next year.

Or we could just have Tyreke and Martin.. heh.
 
I'm not big on throwing a bunch of money to a point guard who gained most of his hype playing next to a couple of future hall of famers.
 
I say let's go for Rudy Gay. RealGM says that he's unlikely to sign an extension

i would love for the kings to somehow end up with rudy gay but why would you want this team to have 5 players all playing the same position? gay, garcia, nocioni, casspi and greene?
 
i would love for the kings to somehow end up with rudy gay but why would you want this team to have 5 players all playing the same position? gay, garcia, nocioni, casspi and greene?

I don't, I just want a star on this team. Gay has the potential to be a star. If we sign him and he develops even further, then I think people like Nocioni and Greene are expendable, don't you?
 
Apparently Gay is a no D playin chucker.

...I like Casspi more than him, and Omri has only played 2 real games.
 
Boston is really the only place where Rondo is worth the money he was asking for. I guess he finally realized that.
 
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