What if Rondo completely reestablishes his value?

[BballTim]

I don't think his value is low because of his injury.  I think it's just that there has always been a belief around the league that he was the beneficiary of great players, a great system, and a great coach.

   Rondo's main claim to fame on offense has been his passing and ability to get his teammates good shots. He's shown that he can do that, leading the league in assists over the last 3 months despite playing with a bunch of mediocre shooting no-names that he was generally unfamiliar with.  No great players, no great coach, and the only thing you could even really argue that his lack of teammates (and not his health) kept him from doing on offense was getting shots off at the rim.

[Vox_Populi]

I don't really see how you can sensibly argue with a single one of those.  Throw our boy Tony up there as well.

I'd like to mention Shumpert is also just as explosive as before. I don't know if he counts as 100%, but at the very least, he looks the same athletically.

[obnoxiousmime]

If Ainge does re-sign Rondo somehow it will not be because he has any unwavering belief in Rondo's ability and place as a top PG. It will be because Ainge hates losing assets. Ainge was more than willing to deal Pierce but only when a deal like the Chris Paul one came along. Eventually the Allen/Garnett thing happened and keeping Pierce became the best choice.

Unfortunately now Ainge does not have the extension leverage he had with Pierce and for that reason he has to deal him or Rondo will leave in free agency. Rondo playing lights out might make Ainge more willing to give Rondo the supermax, but it would also mean other teams are more willing as well and one of them is bound to be in a better situation than the Celts.

The only thing that keeps Rondo here is the Celts trading for a star before the end of next season or Rondo playing so badly no team will make him a better offer than the Celts.

[Future Celtics Owner]

I think Marcus Smart is going to shock some people at how good he actually is. When this happens it will only make sense to trade Rondo....but for what is the ?

[chambers]

If he returns 100% then you'd have to assume he'll become a better player than he was.
I would give him the max. Chris Paul money.
And do WHATEVER he wants us to do. At 100% of his pre injury+playoff form he's a special
talent, all star and top 3 player on a championship team.
To me that's a max player. Not to mention how much he'd make the organization in jersey/marketing sales.

[Mazingerz]

We sit down and talk with him. Saying we are building the team around you, but you have to also help us out, we can offer you the max contract but we cannot be as competitive as all of us (you included) would hope to be. We will sign you up at a fair deal for the both of us, but we will offer you the no-trade clause; We will win with you as the captain of the Cs.

[BballTim]

If Ainge does re-sign Rondo somehow it will not be because he has any unwavering belief in Rondo's ability and place as a top PG. It will be because Ainge hates losing assets. Ainge was more than willing to deal Pierce but only when a deal like the Chris Paul one came along. Eventually the Allen/Garnett thing happened and keeping Pierce became the best choice.

  Ainge was more than willing to trade Pierce, which doesn't mean he didn't believe PP was a top sf.

[indeedproceed]

If Ainge does re-sign Rondo somehow it will not be because he has any unwavering belief in Rondo's ability and place as a top PG. It will be because Ainge hates losing assets. Ainge was more than willing to deal Pierce but only when a deal like the Chris Paul one came along. Eventually the Allen/Garnett thing happened and keeping Pierce became the best choice.

  Ainge was more than willing to trade Pierce, which doesn't mean he didn't believe PP was a top sf.

That's the truth (hey seewhatIdidthere?)

[BballTim]

If Ainge does re-sign Rondo somehow it will not be because he has any unwavering belief in Rondo's ability and place as a top PG. It will be because Ainge hates losing assets. Ainge was more than willing to deal Pierce but only when a deal like the Chris Paul one came along. Eventually the Allen/Garnett thing happened and keeping Pierce became the best choice.

  Ainge was more than willing to trade Pierce, which doesn't mean he didn't believe PP was a top sf.

That's the truth (hey seewhatIdidthere?)

  Global moderator and purveyor of witty banter, IP does it all!

[D.o.s.]

Unfortunately now Ainge does not have the extension leverage he had with Pierce and for that reason he has to deal him or Rondo will leave in free agency. Rondo playing lights out might make Ainge more willing to give Rondo the supermax, but it would also mean other teams are more willing as well and one of them is bound to be in a better situation than the Celts.

The only thing that keeps Rondo here is the Celts trading for a star before the end of next season or Rondo playing so badly no team will make him a better offer than the Celts.

Ainge has essentially the same leverage because of the way the CBA benefits the incumbent team.

[obnoxiousmime]

If Ainge does re-sign Rondo somehow it will not be because he has any unwavering belief in Rondo's ability and place as a top PG. It will be because Ainge hates losing assets. Ainge was more than willing to deal Pierce but only when a deal like the Chris Paul one came along. Eventually the Allen/Garnett thing happened and keeping Pierce became the best choice.

  Ainge was more than willing to trade Pierce, which doesn't mean he didn't believe PP was a top sf.

What I meant was he's not afraid to deal stars but only if the right deal comes along. He's never dumped a player with value just to dump them and lose as many games as possible.

D.O.S., I don't think the extra year the Celtics can offer is much leverage. Not when Melo and NYC endorsement money is waiting in the offseason. Look how Marbury used NYC and the Knicks brand to pump up his apparel line. Not that Rondo has the same entrepreneurial  spirit but the New York hype machine is ready to blow Rondo up just like Francis, Stoudemire, Marbury, and others before him.

I think that, faced with the decision Rondo will take one year less since the Knicks don't have much to trade. Or, Ainge will negotiate with Rondo to make a deal before the trade deadline for an expiring like Stoudemire/Bargnani, Shumpert, and a 2018 pick. That only happens if Rondo convinces the Knicks that he really wants the fifth year though.

Rondo is controlling the situation, not Danny or any of the owners. The extra fifth year is just not a big enough deal for certain players and situations.

[mmmmm]

If Ainge does re-sign Rondo somehow it will not be because he has any unwavering belief in Rondo's ability and place as a top PG. It will be because Ainge hates losing assets. Ainge was more than willing to deal Pierce but only when a deal like the Chris Paul one came along. Eventually the Allen/Garnett thing happened and keeping Pierce became the best choice.

  Ainge was more than willing to trade Pierce, which doesn't mean he didn't believe PP was a top sf.

What I meant was he's not afraid to deal stars but only if the right deal comes along. He's never dumped a player with value just to dump them and lose as many games as possible.

D.O.S., I don't think the extra year the Celtics can offer is much leverage. Not when Melo and NYC endorsement money is waiting in the offseason. Look how Marbury used NYC and the Knicks brand to pump up his apparel line. Not that Rondo has the same entrepreneurial  spirit but the New York hype machine is ready to blow Rondo up just like Francis, Stoudemire, Marbury, and others before him.

I think that, faced with the decision Rondo will take one year less since the Knicks don't have much to trade. Or, Ainge will negotiate with Rondo to make a deal before the trade deadline for an expiring like Stoudemire/Bargnani, Shumpert, and a 2018 pick. That only happens if Rondo convinces the Knicks that he really wants the fifth year though.

Rondo is controlling the situation, not Danny or any of the owners. The extra fifth year is just not a big enough deal for certain players and situations.

And you have insight to know whether or not Rondo is one of those 'certain players'?

[bleedGREENdon]

If he Reestablishes his value, we make the playoffs and maybe suprise someone first round. Attract a big name next offseason and make some moves.

Win - win

[fitzhickey]

If Ainge does re-sign Rondo somehow it will not be because he has any unwavering belief in Rondo's ability and place as a top PG. It will be because Ainge hates losing assets. Ainge was more than willing to deal Pierce but only when a deal like the Chris Paul one came along. Eventually the Allen/Garnett thing happened and keeping Pierce became the best choice.

  Ainge was more than willing to trade Pierce, which doesn't mean he didn't believe PP was a top sf.

That's the truth (hey seewhatIdidthere?)

Got to give a TP there

[D.o.s.]

If Ainge does re-sign Rondo somehow it will not be because he has any unwavering belief in Rondo's ability and place as a top PG. It will be because Ainge hates losing assets. Ainge was more than willing to deal Pierce but only when a deal like the Chris Paul one came along. Eventually the Allen/Garnett thing happened and keeping Pierce became the best choice.

  Ainge was more than willing to trade Pierce, which doesn't mean he didn't believe PP was a top sf.

What I meant was he's not afraid to deal stars but only if the right deal comes along. He's never dumped a player with value just to dump them and lose as many games as possible.

D.O.S., I don't think the extra year the Celtics can offer is much leverage. Not when Melo and NYC endorsement money is waiting in the offseason. Look how Marbury used NYC and the Knicks brand to pump up his apparel line. Not that Rondo has the same entrepreneurial  spirit but the New York hype machine is ready to blow Rondo up just like Francis, Stoudemire, Marbury, and others before him.

I think that, faced with the decision Rondo will take one year less since the Knicks don't have much to trade. Or, Ainge will negotiate with Rondo to make a deal before the trade deadline for an expiring like Stoudemire/Bargnani, Shumpert, and a 2018 pick. That only happens if Rondo convinces the Knicks that he really wants the fifth year though.

Rondo is controlling the situation, not Danny or any of the owners. The extra fifth year is just not a big enough deal for certain players and situations.

You can't sign and trade for a five year deal anymore.

Doing some back of the envelope math, and assuming the cap doesn't go up next season, the Celtics could offer Rondo 5 years $18.9 million with a 7.5% raise, so it'd be:
18.9
20.3
21.6
22.9
24.2

If he was S&T'd to the Knicks, he'd have a four year deal at a 4.5% raise and they'd only be able to offer him about $15.7 million a year, I think. That's not an insignificant amount of money lost:
$15.7
$16.8
$17.9
$19.0