Knicks (4-20) at Celtics (7-13) Game #21 12/12/14

[Eddie20]

Maybe the most disturbing thing this season is that having a healthy Rondo back seems to make absolutely no difference. 

Mike

Good point. I can't see this team being significantly (if at all) worse this season without him.

Oh I think they'll be worse without him. Considering how the offense usually sputters as soon as Rondo sits.

W-L doesn't represent that, however.

[TheFlex]

But even with Pierce the Celtics had very bad years and while he may require less players to build around than Rondo. It wasn't until the arrival of Garnett and Allen that Pierce really stepped up.

The point is moot as it assumes that the supporting casts of both Rondo's teams and Pierce's teams are equal, and you aren't really responding to my analysis that shows that Rondo's individual impact in terms of wins and losses is much less and far more inconsistent than that of Pierce's, but I'll humor the argument nonetheless.

With healthy Pierce alone (2003-04 to 2005-06), the Celtics won 36, 45 and 33 games.

With healthy Rondo alone (2014-15), the Celtics are on pace for 27 wins this season.

Again, you are ignoring the point. Rondo is not the player that Pierce is and while his individual game may remain largely constant regardless of the caliber of his teammates, his ability to will a lesser team to victory is far worse than that of Pierce's.

Your claim was that the argument that Rondo needs good players to be effective "has been dismissed." Although the sample size is small, the statistics prove just the opposite.

Rondo is neither a max nor a near max player. He will receive such offers this summer. The best course of action would be to deal him this trade deadline for an offer that includes either a lotto pick or a good young player, or to let his contract come off the books this summer.