What Last Night's Draft Means for The Celtics and Rajon Rondo

via Richard Schwier on Flickr

Last night the Celtics used their number 6 pick on Marcus Smart and their number 17 pick on James Young.  Both are solid picks.  I'd describe them as base hits (or walks).  They aren't home runs, which I think many Celtics fans were hoping for.  The problem when you swing for home runs though, is you increase your chances of striking out.  And here's where I really value the base hit.  You can't hit a grand slam (KG trade) unless the bases are loaded.

This was one of my biggest gripes with the Kevin Love rumors (by the way, that deal is not dead because the draft happened.  Young and Smart as tangible entities might even hold more value than the 6 and 17 pick as a theoretical entity).  I felt like Ainge was skipping a step or rushing.  I felt like he was trying to hit a grand slam with only one guy on base.

Mitchell had a similar reaction to many Celtics fans which was a bit of disappointment when they drafted Marcus Smart.  I completely understand.  He wouldn't have been my first choice (Aaron Gordon) or even second (Julius Randle) and I think many Celtics fans hoped Ainge traded down once it became apparent that none of Gordon/Exum/Embiid would be available.  It's frustrating to think that Marcus Smart is just another version of Rondo minus the transcendent passing skills, or a slightly better version of Tony Allen or Avery Bradley.  Who's to say he can't develop his outside shot though?  He may never be an elite level 3 point shooter, but he may be capable in two or three seasons.

I'm not here to defend Marcus Smart though.  He's a tough competitor that C's fans will grow to love with some distance from the dreams they had about this draft.  Just remember this C's fans, there will be more opportunities to find a franchise guy.  The C's have seven first round picks in the next four years with the outside chance of an 8th (if the Sixers are not in the lottery next season, almost impossible) and the right to swap with Brooklyn in 2017.  This is just the beginning guys.

Maybe that's some of the frustration.  Smart seems to be a duplicate talent to Rondo in many ways.  I wouldn't be surprised if they were able to play together, but that may not be the best scenario for either party.  I've held out on the #FreeRondo movement, but I'm starting to come around.  It's apparent now that the C's will begin to stockpile youth and assets.  Rondo needs to be in the playoffs. He's too good and too competitive not to be, and the playoffs are lacking without him.

It made me start to think of the most realistic way for this to happen.  I hate the rumored Kings trade.  It might appeal to Rondo only because the Kings might be crazy enough to trade for him without extending him and he could choose where he wanted to play in 2015-16.  The Kings aren't making the playoffs in the West next season, even with Rondo, and if they do, they won't make a deep run.  I'd much rather see Rondo go to a good situation.  Somewhere in the East would be nice.  Then I came up with this:  I'm also assuming the Celtics get the rights to Lucas Nogueiras back (they drafted him last year and traded his rights to Atlanta) and maybe a future first round pick.  I wanted to include a third team to move Teague, but I suppose that could be a separate deal.

Maybe it's not enough for the C's.  They would get two intriguing prospects in my mind (Schroder and Noguieras) and a valuable trade chip in Millsap that they may be able to bundle with Jeff Green or to get rid of Gerald Wallace's contract.  Dalembert is an expiring contract.  I also was interested in another version involving Dallas to take on Teague and allow Atlanta to keep Millsap.  That's a bit difficult to work on the Trade Machine today because so many of Dallas' contracts are currently expiring.  I actually like that fit better for Teague (and Dallas), and Atlanta is still better off keeping Millsap for now (despite the Payne pick last night), and Dallas is more likely to have a first rounder to sweeten the pot for the C's than the Knicks (maybe the C's get a first from each team in that deal).

All of that is to say that after last night's draft I have a new number one NBA wish.  I wish Rajon Rondo gets traded to the Hawks, not because I think they provide the C's with the best bounty, but because I love the fit for Rondo.  I get the feeling that Rondo would love Atlanta, which is a little strange to say.  I don't view Rondo as the type of guy that wants to play in the biggest, most profitable market.  I think Atlanta is central (one of the country's largest airports) and large enough as a city to serve his needs (not in the same spotlight as LA or New York, but nowhere near as irrelevant as Milwaukee, Minnesota, and Cleveland) not to mention the proximity to the unofficial (or official?) League headquarters.  I think Atlanta would love Rondo as well.

And then there is the basketball fit.  What better way to replicate the Spurs pass-happy offense than with maybe the best passing point guard in the league.  Do you see some similarities to a young Tony Parker?  A limited shooter who can get into the lane whenever he wants? Rondo is an improving mid-range shooter as Tony Parker came to be.  Surround Rondo with those shooters.  With Korver, and Louis Williams, and Payne, and DeMarre Carroll (don't laugh, 36% from 3 on 268 attempts and raved about the work Quin Snyder did with his shot), and John Jenkins.  Horford anchoring the inside and that Hawks team is at the least a contender in the East, I'm sure of it.  They will also have the roster flexibility to bring in some other pieces to help supplement.  I can't shake this thought.  Rondo in a Hawks jersey just looks right to me.

So back to last night.  It's not a 100% thing that drafting Marcus Smart at number 6 means that Rajon Rondo is out the door.  As I mentioned, Smart and Young are every bit the asset as the # 6 and # 17 pick and are completely movable.  Maybe they are included in a Love deal and that route is still open.  Maybe Ainge plays it out to start the season, sees how Smart and Rondo play together, and can always sell Rondo around the trade deadline (doesn't sound ideal to me).  I'm only saying that after last night, for the first time since the Pierce/Garnett deal, I can envision a path for the Celtics and I can envision a path for Rondo and in my mind, those two paths don't lead to the same place.