[Woj] Mavericks, Rockets have discussed Rajon Rondo trade

Morey and McHale do have that Celtics connections.

And after the Celtics give us Bass or Green for peanuts

 

I'd deal DMo only if we're getting Jeff Green back as well.

Rondo and Bass folks it's inevitable just wait and see.

 

THIS!!!!

In our offense if you can't shoot you're useless. Especially from the PG position.

 

imagine if we had Yao and Tracy for as long as Cuban had Dirk lol

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Adding to <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine">@ESPNSteinLine</a> report on Rondo from yesterday. Sources tell ESPN the Lakers also offered Boston multiple picks &amp; Nash for Rondo</p>&mdash; Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) <a href="https://twitter.com/ramonashelburne/status/545651866781368320">December 18, 2014</a></blockquote>
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if you can create at an elite level, then he would actually not be useless

 

I hope he goes to the Lakers. That would be funny.

 

this lady is a hack...anything she claims to know nationally is essentially fictitious.

 

I still remember the haul Morey got for McGrady. I think if we land Rondo we'll do them over real nice. Sign & trade Dino Radja and Eric Montross back to them for Rondo and the rights to Red Auerbach's legacy.

 

A Case for Rajon Rondo

Rondo seems to be a hot topic with the trade rumors and a lot of folks seem to be planted in the firmly uninterested camp and understandably so. I, however, am in the camp that believes we should jump all over this and let me make my case.

1.) This is a classic buy-low scenario

With the amount of talent at the PG position and in the NBA and Rondo's impending free agency status, there frankly aren't many teams out there who would be interested in trading for Rondo. Dallas and Houston seem to be the only teams with much interest which has created an opportunity to trade for an elite player with an Artificially Low Trade Value, IE a value that does not match his caliber as a player. While it is still early, Dallas seems to be the front runner with an offer of Brandon Wright and a perhaps 2 low first round picks. The Rockets could potentially sweep in and top this offer quite easily, while still not giving up very many assets. Opportunities like this do not happen very often and a team that jumps on this will be that much better than the competition.

Rondo hasn't been great, but I have no reason to believe he can't drastically improve as he gets better teammates and back into his groove.

2.) There is little risk here

If we trade for Rondo and it doesn't work out, he is a free agent at the end of the season, we can let him go and use our cap space on another free agent. Sure it sucks to lose the Pelicans pick and minor prospects, but how much value does that really have to us? Is that really going to set us back that far? Its more likely those pieces would have to be given away anyway if we wanted to free up cap space in the offseason, ala the Marcus Morris and Pat Patterson deals. I suppose there is a risk we miss out on other potential deals at the deadline, but who could realistically be available? Perhaps Goran Dragic, but again, he is a free agent at the end of the year and we can still go that route if we wanted if Rondo doesn't work out. IMHO a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

3.) Waiting for the perfect player could cost us Beverley

While it may not seem like it, the Rockets are in an holding pattern until they can add the third major star. They are adamantly not adding long term salary to maintain the flexibility to add another big name piece. So far, the flexibility route has cost us Marcus Morris, Patrick Patterson and Chandler Parsons. The next person we could potentially lose is Patrick Beverley who will enter free agency this next off season, and Terrence Jones/Dmo the year after that. If we strike out AGAIN, and Beverley's price tag is too high, it is highly likely that Morey lets him walk, just like Parsons. Adding that third star now gets us out of that bind and will allow us to tie up more of our money long term.

4.) Finally getting that third piece will open the flood gates on spending

Are you tired of watching 35+ year old vets (Garcia/Terry) and raw D-leaguers (Daniels/Johnson/Dorsey/Black) play crucial minutes? This happens because we are trying to maintain that "flexibility". With Rondo locked in we would finally be able to start using our exceptions and add legit depth rather than these untested or old band-aids. We could also start trading for guys on longer term deals like the Ersan Ilyasova's, Kevin Martins, Jeff Greens, Corey Brewer's, etc. that rebuilding teams are trying to shed. I don't know about you guys but I don't want to see Nick Johnson try and guard Ty Lawson. I don't want to see Johnson on the court for another two years, when he has something to actually contribute.

5.) Rajon Rondo is in his prime

Rajon Rondo is 29 years old and in his prime. If we traded for him and resigned him, we would have him from 29-33 years old which is probably means he will stay about as good as he is now. He was never really an athleticism guy, more of a length and basketball IQ guy, which are less likely to fade over time. No, he is not as good as he was a couple years ago when he peaked, but he is still damn good.

Take a look at some of his game highlight videos below. Watch all the easy looks and open shots he gets for Olynk and Bass. Ask your self if Dmo and Tjones and makes those moves and cuts while Harden rests on the bench.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OJ6TlPhl3U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNpBYxUS-Gw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNpBYxUS-Gw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PcbKIGZA3k

6.) The Rockets desperately need someone to lighten the load on Harden

Harden has been nothing short of spectacular, but we can't keep riding him like this. 38 minutes a game, 100% effort on defense and setting up every offensive possession is going drastically shorten his career, not to mention he is going to be completely worn out by the time the playoffs arrive. Rondo is a guy who can give you that, who can get open shots for guys while Harden is on the bench or needs to catch his breath. It has gotten to the point for me that I cringe whenever I see Ariza try and dribble the ball or Beverley try and create something on his own. We literally have no one else who can create from the perimeter. We have been lucky that Harden hasn't missed any games yet, but when that happens that weaknesses is going to show up BIG TIME.

We have got to reduce Harden's minutes and body stress and Rondo is a guy who can help with that. We could keep Harden on the bench longer. We could hold him out instead of having to play through injury. We can extend his career and avoid another nightmare Yao/McGrady situation.

I think people get too hung up on imagining Rondo alongside of Harden instead of focusing on our rotations for a full 48 minutes of basketball. There are plenty of minutes, plenty of shots, and plenty of games.

6.) Rondo has shown he can play with other high usage guys

Rondo played alongside Paul Pierce who, in my opinion, is one of the closest comparisons to James Harden as a player, and the Celtics were highly successful doing it. I personally believe people put way way too much emphasis on fit and not nearly enough on talent. You can't possibly believe the Rockets would be worse if Rondo was taking up the minutes that Isiah Cannan or Nick Johnson or Francisco Garcia have been playing.

7.) Rondo's weaknesses are overstated

Yes, Rondo has glaring weaknesses.
Yes, he has low scoring efficiency
Yes, he has a low free throw accuracy
Yes, he has a low three point accuracy

But he can also be a low volume shooter where those types of issues won't be a big deal. Try and imagine what he could be on this team and how his skill set could used to help. People seem to think the role he has played in Boston is exactly what he would play here and they aren't being creative enough to see how much he could help out in the big picture.

I see a staggering of minutes, where Harden/Rondo on the court is limited. I see rotating pairs of our two wings with our two elite post players. That is how I envision it.

8.) Rondo has shown he can be elite defensively

Even if his offense is a total disaster, Rondo has been elite defensively most of his entire career. Sure he hasn't been as good this year, but there is a common trend that when a team becomes more reliant on one player for their entire offense, that players defensive intensity goes down. I have no doubt that if Rondo were to come here in a complimentary role, both his and Harden's defense would pick up tremendously.

Furthermore, Rondo is one of the best rebounders at his position, which is something this team needs quite a bit (we rank 23rd). He is also a ball hawk with a high propensity for steals, which is always helpful

The idea of putting out Beverley/Rondo/Ariza/Howard for key stops makes me salivate.

9.) I don't want him to end up in Dallas.

I'll come out and say it. I don't want there to be any chance in hell that we lose the Mavericks in the playoffs. Zero/zilch/none. I can't stand the idea of looking at their smug ass owner grinning with the Rockets walking off the court in defeat. I want that franchise to fade away into obscurity with pretty boy Parsons miserable in the middle of it.

10.) Rondo plays big when it matters.

The guy is a competitor, BIG TIME. He has tons of playoff experience and comes up huge in big games. He is not going to shrink like Jeremy "I have the confidence of a ten year old girl" Lin when the game is on the line. He is a WINNER and we need that.

11.) What our offer could look like?

Now look, I am not saying we should give up the farm, but I can't see how anyone could pass on Rondo if a mediocre offer gets it done.

According the CBA, the trade rules would require maximum incoming salary of 150% of the outgoing salary plus 100k. By my calculations, with Rondo's salary being 12.9 million, the Rockets would need to send out roughly 8.5m in salary to make the trade work under the CBA rules. I think almost any trade needs to start with Kostas Papanikolau or Jason Terry just to make the numbers work. The bare minimum I could come up with, that I think is better that Dallas's deal would be:

Jason Terry - 5.8m
Joey Dorsey - 948k
Clint Capella - 1.18m
Isiah Canaan - 816k
NOP 2015 #1 pick

Total - 8.8m

Now when you look at that offer, there is maybe one or two guys who are rotation players and we are talking about 7-8th best players on the team. Morey has shown he can pull these 7th and 8th best guys out of a hat and replace them. Its much much harder to nab players of Rondo's caliber.

For me, that is worth giving up for a potential all star level PG. Lets assume we also nab Brewer (or better yet, how about bring Kevin Martin back?) for our trade exception and a second round pick. Our new depth chart would look like this:

Rondo / Beverley / Johnson
Harden / Brewer / Daniels
Ariza / Papanikolau
Dmo / Jones
Howard / Black

To me, that is better than what we have now. Anyway, just keep an open mind.

 

If Morey wants rondo he can get him without trading DMo.

I don't want rondo and I would be livid if we trade DMo.

 

This man knows the truth.

Morey, Anige, Hinke, these people are working together just to jack up the price.

In fact, they are the same guy whose working for 3 different teams.

 

Lol funniest ****

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Exactly. That's why I don't buy into the Dragic talk. We need a PF/Center that can rebound, defend and hit 3's every now and then. Maybe a few more solid bench players too. I don't think our biggest need is a PG. I'm happy with Bev starting, aslong as he keeps hitting his open 3's.

 

This. Plus she looks like a pig. That pic on her twitter account was probably 10 years ago and 50 pounds ago.

 

Not when it comes to the Lakers specifically. She seemingly has direct contact with Lakers and Clippers.

 

Only if Dallas sweetens the pot with draft picks!!!

 

She knows jack about Dwight leaving LA until saw it on twitter.

She is what she is.

 

Such a classic. "I'm taking one of your championship trophies on the way out" ROLMAO....never gets old:grin:

 

When was the last time we heard about a trade days before that the Rockets actually did? This is a total smokescreen the Rockets never let any info leak.