So you require Rondo to be one of the best defensive guards in the entire NBA as well as the best distributing PG in the NBA before you want him as the Kings PG?
You don't think your standards and expectations are a tad high for Rondo?
BTW - Marcus Smart looks from those clips to be three times the defender Bradley is - half of AB's plays could have been called fouls/reach-ins.
And on a non-physical defense team like the Kings (in the West), those exact same WOULD have been called fouls.
He gets away with those because the entire Celtics team plays really physical defense, and it's the East, where steals happen.
Well Rondo is a guard, who built his resumee on passing, floor management, rebounding and defense.
Despite his improved 3pt stats he is not a good shooter. Lets take a moment to think about, how to characterize a good shooter.
I personally think about a guy like Damian Lillard, when I hear the term good shooter. A guy where the defense knows they can't give him only a little bit of space or he will pull up and hit a jumpshot out of the dribble. Now Rondo can hit wide open corner 3's, but his shooting is not a game changing thing, that draws attention from the defense. It's an afterthought and something every team is happy to give up on D. Rondo is a reluctant shooter and there is a reason for it. He just isn't comfortable shooting out of the dribble, his jumpshot is slow and he can't elevate over the D.
Now this doesn't mean Rondo is a bad player. He is maybe the best playmaker in the entire league, he is a very good on the floor leader on offense, and he may be the best rebounding guard after Westbrook.
But because he is not a well rounded offensive player, he needs to make up for it in other areas in order to be considered a top PG.
So yes - in order to be a top PG, Rondo needs to become an elite defender again. And given our very thin talent base a top PG is needed to even have a chance to sneak into the 8th seed.
BTW - usually the ref's favour the more aggressive player on D. Smart and Bradley get away with their style of play, because they are so aggressive and despite using their arms move their feet extremely well.
What's most impressive is that Smart, unlike Bradley, is not very quick and very thick and heavy for a guard. This guy will defend Russel Westbrook and than switch onto Kevin Durant and won't give up his space on the floor even against a 6'10 guy.
I know he is a pretty bad shooter, but boy his defense and intensity is a beauty to watch.
I would give up a lot, to see this kind of defense in SAC again.
I just love to watch defense.....
And nowhere in my posts did I write Rondo off.
