Outside of Lebron, Melo, Durant, George....which SFs are clearly better than him? Also let's not forget Parsons shoots 50% fg% and 40% 3pt% and has 3.5 apg and doesn't turn the ball over much.
My guess is Parsons will earn a contract starting at $10 million for 4 years. Morey would rather have an all-star like Rondo who only gets paid a couple million more or another max player for ~$5 million more.
You have to take into consideration how much his defense has suffered with the expansion of his offensive game. Rookie year Chandler gave so much more effort defensively.
NBA has a soft cap. Rockets can pay Parsons max if they want. They can theoretically pay Harden, Dwight, Parsons, Rondo, and Jones(on the implausible scenario that they can get Rondo without him) all max salaries they choose. The salary cap is no object. Only Les' checkbook.
I think right now Parsons' trade value is at it's highest and Morey knows it. He is doing well statistically and next year he will be an unrestricted expiring contract with a low salary. I believe teams also still have the option of making him restricted and re-signing him in the off-season which is something Morey makes a point of only doing for guaranteed all-stars.
I hope that Chandler isn't included in any deal, but I'm a fan of the team first, and the players second. If trading him makes us a better team and definitely improves our ability to contend, then we just have to wish him well, swallow any bitterness about losing him, and hope it turns out to be a key move for a championship. I hated losing Scola, but it ultimately led to Harden and Howard. We'll just have to see how this plays out. Heck, Morey may end up doing little of consequence. We can't rule out the possibility, but I'm hoping for a blockbuster deal leading to a deep playoff run, regardless of who is moved, and who isn't.
In 03-04 season when the pistons won it all. Billups (27yrs old) ave 16 and 5(assist). He was clearly the key to that team. Its not all about numbers man, Billups was the leader, the glue behind that team. Chandler plays that role here.
I don't think his defense has dropped off that much relative to how much his offensive game has expanded. The team needs Parsons. He isn't getting traded imo.
I still think Deng is a perfect fit with his contract status & the Cavs about to lose him for nothing - even more so if Parsons is shipped out for Rondo. Rockets get: Rondo, Deng Cavs get: Asik, Brewer Celtics get: Parsons, Lin, DMo, G. Smith, Picks Rondo, Harden, Deng, Jones, Howard. Elite D at the 1,3,5.
Rondo is interesting, but my biggest fear is he hasn't played 70 games in a season since 2009-10 season. Last four seasons: 68, 53 (out of 66), 38 and 10 (out of 54). Even with all of Dwight's back issues, he has played 78, 54 (out of 66), 76 and 53 (out of 53) the last four seasons. Maybe I am just jaded after seeing talented Rockets team fall short due to injuries like the AARP crew in the late 90s (Barkey, Hakeem and Drexler/Pippen) and then the Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady years. If the trade goes through I sure hope to see an extremely healthy Rondo putting up triple doubles for us in the playoffs.
Its one thing trading the backup center and 6th man, but the starting SF in a lineup thats finally gelling during the final stretch. Especially at a position we have little depth. Its risky putting Bev on the bench, since he missed a few games I think it wont be a big change to put Rondo in. But to change 2/5 possibly 3/5 of your starting lineup 3 months away from playoffs is suicide.
http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=10478187 A couple of interesting bits from the BS Report talk with Zach Lowe: 1. At 43 minute or so, Lowe mentioned that even if Houston lands Rondo, they may well treat Rondo as a trade asset to be used in pursuit of Kevin Love. 2. At 50:30 or so, Simmons and Lowe talked about Kyle Lowry. Lowe said that Lowry may not fetch a whole lot as a free agent because A) many teams with cap space already have a PG, B) Lowry has a reputation of being an "*******" that coaches don't like, C) rebuilding teams, especially those who plan on drafting a young PG, don't want Lowry anywhere near the team. Lowe said he doesn't think that Toronto would get the kind of return that they want for Lowry in a trade.
Rondo gets high. Don't ask me how I know but let's just say he's proven to me that his favorite color is green
