yesssssssssssssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now please no more articles about it. We will see if this guy is worth that money in two years when the "Big 3" are out the door. But I guess locking up Rondo and Big Cry-Baby is the future. Good luck with that.

$$ Ka-ching $$

Yea, baby...Go Celts!!! I love this guy

Good reward for solid contributions to a championship. The Celtics take care of their own...

11 million a year, not bad now lets see if he can keep up his end of the bargain.

and at that time they will have plenty of cap room to pick up whatever pieces they are missing through free agency if needed....i think the days of saving and rebuilding are over

QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 07:26 AM ET  11.02 by keeping it ghetto goes Evil

Now please no more articles about it. We will see if this guy is worth that money in two years when the "Big 3" are out the door. But I guess locking up Rondo and Big Cry-Baby is the future. Good luck with that.

agreed-

It would have been galactically stupid not to sign him. This might actually fall under the category of "no brainer". By signing Rondo and Baby, they are setting the table for the future. In a couple of years, these guys will have that much more experience and hopefully another ring to go with it. I notice how people always think that athletes develop in a vacuum and how you see them today is how they'll always be in spite of evidence to the contrary. Rondo will get better. Davis will get better. Haven't they shown that already?

The Celtics made a good decision in signing Rondo to this contract. Rondo has demonstrated talent and progress in both play-making skills and on-the-ball defense. Rondo's ability to score 25+ pts on a given night in spite of jump shooting deficiencies only highlights his potential to become an even better player. The main concern that would keep this from becoming a great deal is Rondo's attitude issues--stubbornness, cockiness, and occasional resistance to coaching--some of which he admits to. It is probably too early to tell how these problems will change in a few years, since these traits may be either currently restrained (e.g., dampen b/c presence) or induced (e.g., added pressure) by the Big Three. In any case (barring Sprewell-esque episodes), Rondo would still be a valuable trade asset.

QUOTE(#9):

Originally posted 08:29 AM ET  11.02 by Vocal Point

I notice how people always think that athletes develop in a vacuum and how you see them today is how they'll always be in spite of evidence to the contrary. Rondo will get better. Davis will get better. Haven't they shown that already?

you keep saying 'will'
how do you KNOW that....maybe they've peaked
maybe without 3 HOF players to take the pressure off them
they will regress.....
- then again they MIGHT improve too.

Point is - it's an unknown-
going forward your 'core' is now baby and Rondo.....
- if you celt fans think that's a good core- great-
- but OBJECTIVELY speaking- to invest roughly 1/3 of your cap in
tose two players is a risk- when you STILL will need at least
TWO stud-type players to surround them with

Goin forwards in the East- you have THREE young top 7 talents
as cores of their respective teams- wade, lbj, dwight....
and you have rondo & baby ? really ? you're comfortable enough
for the next decade with them as your 'stars'
- don't get me wrong- 2 VERY SOLID kids- but they are NOT
top talent- and with your big 3s contracts....you ain't bringing in
a comparable player in the next 2 years

QUOTE(#2):

Originally posted 07:26 AM ET  11.02 by keeping it ghetto goes Evil

Now please no more articles about it. We will see if this guy is worth that money in two years when the "Big 3" are out the door. But I guess locking up Rondo and Big Cry-Baby is the future. Good luck with that.

I don't think this is a high risk signing, given the amount of mediocre talent that is signed to larger, longer contracts in the NBA. Rondo has shown the ability to run an offense well, is a very good passer and defender. He's a good court general, which is what you want in your PG, which I'd rather have over a flashy scorer like the Bull's Rose who's defense is questionable, hardly rebounds and assists are low.

QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 08:57 AM ET  11.02 by jgb

you keep saying 'will'how do you KNOW that....maybe they've peakedmaybe without 3 HOF players to take the pressure off themthey will regress.....- then again they MIGHT improve too.Point is - it's an unknown-going forward your 'core' is now baby and Rondo.....- if you celt fans think that's a good core- great-- but OBJECTIVELY speaking- to invest roughly 1/3 of your cap intose two players is a risk- when you STILL will need at least TWO stud-type players to surround them withGoin forwards in the East- you have THREE young top 7 talentsas cores of their respective teams- wade, lbj, dwight....and you have rondo & baby ? really ? you're comfortable enoughfor the next decade with them as your 'stars'- don't get me wrong- 2 VERY SOLID kids- but they are NOTtop talent- and with your big 3s contracts....you ain't bringing ina comparable player in the next 2 years

I'm sure you know that Glen Davis is only signed for two years, not really a "future core" guy at this point. In fact no one is signed long-term, so the C's have flexibility. Something the team that signs Lebron next year, won't have.

I'd also expect Pierce and KG to be relevent on the floor for at least 2-3 more years, which means by the time they're like to move on or retire, the C's will have a vetran PG that's on the books for only 2-3 more years at 11 mil, which is likely to be relatively sane money. Rondo would have to have to become mediocre to have that contract be an albatross, which is not likely given his obvious talent, work ethics and coaching.

Perkins 3 years left on a 4 year 4.3 mill contract...he's more core than Big Baby and a great value.

I am not sure if I would have taken Rondo out this far...To me he has yet to prove he is able to lead a team without this array of talent surrounding him...What happens when Rasheed, Gartnett, Pierce & Allen ride off into the sunset in the next few years?

QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 08:57 AM ET  11.02 by jgb

Goin forwards in the East- you have THREE young top 7 talentsas cores of their respective teams- wade, lbj, dwight....

Wade has a ton mileage on his knees and is likely to start breaking down, since Miami seems uninterested in building a quality team around him. I don't see him as a force in the league 3 years, unless he finds himself surrounded by 2 other players like Allen and KG.

Lebron? No doubt he's the best player in the league and will continue to be for the foreseable future, but who ever signs him, will have a hard time building a talented and/or deep team around him due to the albatross of a contract he no doubt will demand.

Howard? He's good, and will likely continue to be good for a long time, yet a guy like Perkins can/has keept him in check when they've matched up, so I don't see him as a player that can't be managed.

QUOTE(#16):

Originally posted 09:36 AM ET  11.02 by 718

I figured this would be the deal he was on the hunt for if he elected to be a restricted free agent so it's a good move on the C's part just to pay him now and be over with it.The Big Three get the credit but they need Rondo to make it all work, so good for him.

Exactly! Maybe you could explain this to jgb

QUOTE(#17):

Originally posted 09:51 AM ET  11.02 by Hllywd: Old Schoolin'

Exactly! Maybe you could explain this to jgb

I have said from the beginning that if they WANT him- they
would pay him....but that they should simply WAIT and see what
the market determines his value to be

Clearly they want him and regard him highly- I have no problem with that

QUOTE(#11):

Originally posted 08:57 AM ET  11.02 by jgb

you keep saying 'will'how do you KNOW that....maybe they've peakedmaybe without 3 HOF players to take the pressure off themthey will regress.....- then again they MIGHT improve too.

There is no reason to believe Rondo will not get better. There are no guarantees, but he has improved every year thus far. What would make you believe the kid has "hit the wall" at age 23.

QUOTE(#13):

Originally posted 09:17 AM ET  11.02 by Tomacco

I'm sure you know that Glen Davis is only signed for two years, not really a "future core" guy at this point. In fact no one is signed long-term, so the C's have flexibility. Something the team that signs Lebron next year, won't have. I'd also expect Pierce and KG to be relevent on the floor for at least 2-3 more years, which means by the time they're like to move on or retire, the C's will have a vetran PG that's on the books for only 2-3 more years at 11 mil, which is likely to be relatively sane money. Rondo would have to have to become mediocre to have that contract be an albatross, which is not likely given his obvious talent, work ethics and coaching. Perkins 3 years left on a 4 year 4.3 mill contract...he's more core than Big Baby and a great value.

I hear you-
I guess once the big 3 are gone they're done with being contenders anyway- and yes they likely have 2 more years- so rondo isn't signed for THAT much $$ over the last year or so with his contract