ESPN’s Chris Sheridan reports Rod Thorn had an interesting offer from Danny Ainge this sumer. Ainge admits discussing “possible [Rajon] Rondo trades with other teams early in the offseason,” Sheridan writes. “One proposal that was floated but never gained traction was a multiplayer deal that would have included Devin Harris”. Harris’ contract runs til 2013. Rondo will be a restricted free agent in 2010.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:23 am
good pass
October 5th, 2009 at 11:27 am
harris and brook are must stay
October 5th, 2009 at 11:27 am
eh -_-
October 5th, 2009 at 11:31 am
I would have officially, surely, for real this time jumped ship had that gone down.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Rondo is a better player than Harris. Period. There are two ends of the floor, and Harris only plays on one end.
However, in today’s NBA, you have to figure in contract terms and length. And the fact that Harris has a good contract for a number of years, whereas Rondo is a RFA and will be asking for big dollars makes it correct to pass on a proposed trade based on Rondo for Harris.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:42 am
Harris can play defense. He just didnt last year. He was seen as the top defensive PG in the West before he left Dallas. He played some nice defense yesterday.
WHy are the Celtics so interested in dumping him after he averaged a triple double in the playoffs? Shouldnt you be asking yourself that question?
October 5th, 2009 at 11:43 am
So many teams have cap space next year, you can bet someone is going to present Rondo with a huge offer. Thats probably why Ainge was looking to make this trade, he knows keeping Rondo is going to cost much more than the 8 million a year Harris will be getting through 2013, and with the salary commitments to the Big3, its going to be difficult to keep everyone together. Harris has more ability to take over a game than does Rondo, but Rondo is more consistent and rebounds better. Ronda has an edge on defense, but even he got toasted by Rose in the playoffs last year.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Only way I would take Rondo for Harris is if KG and Pierce also were included in the deal. Under L Frank Rondo would not be as good as Harris.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:48 am
I don’t like D.Harris but I admit I was impressed by his demeanor and play yesterday. If he carries himself like he did against the Knicks the sky is the limit for Harris. It doesn’t hurt that he has a nice contract too.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Harris is better than Rondo.
October 5th, 2009 at 11:59 am
The trade idea was foolish right from the get go for the Nets. A.S. Says: Rondo is a better player and that D. Harris plays only one way. That is totally incorrect because if you play next to V. Carter you will look terrible on defense to. Wake up A.S. you will see this year with CD Roberts at the two. As a team D. Harris & CD Roberts will be great at defending. Ainge would say anything because he is desperate to get rid Rondo based on his attitude along with not getting along with Ainge. Don’t be disillusion with Ainge. He was a good role player on a good team. That doesn’t mean as President/GM he is going to be good. The Garnett trade was fixed by his buddy and teamate McHale. Boston is getting old quick and they will be at the bottom before you know it. Go Brooklyn Nets!
October 5th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Well, a couple of other thoughts…
–Devin Harris is one of the best bargains in the NBA. He makes less than $8.5 million this year and has four years left on his deal. In no year does his salary top $10 million. THAT is one of the great untold stories of the Kidd deal. The Nets got a future all-Star at a bargain price, months after he was signed to a five year deal.
–Rondo becomes an restricted free agent next summer. He will want a big deal, which would start in 2011-12. Celts need to negotiate new deals with Pierce and Allen after this season. Pierce can opt out. Allen is a free agent. Both will be paid $20 million this season. The Celts still owe KG $56 million, $40 million after this season. They have a $6.5 million team option on Wallace in 2010-11. They’re all on the wrong side of 30. So they need to make big decisions.
–Who else would have been included. The deal would have had to include more players on the Celtics’ side. Rondo makes a little more than $2 million. How would the Nets have done that without a third team or a very complicated deal. We do know the Nets like Glen Davis and we do know that the Celts likes Yi Jianlian.
October 5th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
harris better than rondo
October 5th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
“Harris can play defense. He just didnt last year.”
Can’t/won’t – doesn’t make much of a difference to me. In some ways, it is even WORSE if he just refused to play hard on the defensive end last year, since that lack of effort can affect the other guys on the team. (And, IMO, the entire team lacked defensive effort last year – everyone other than Vince.) Frankly, I would rather have a guy who waorked hard at defense even if not that talented, since the other guys on the team might see him work hard and improve their effort in response. This team has had entire too many guys with a lot of talent and a lack of work ethic (Sean, Marcus, etc.). Devin was just making that problem worse last year by not working on the defensive end.
“Why are the Celtics so interested in dumping him after he averaged a triple double in the playoffs? Shouldnt you be asking yourself that question?”
Beside the contract situation, obviously there are some personality issues with Rondo too (maturity?). But I can’t believe they’d trade Rondo just because of personality issues when they are this close to winning another championship.
October 5th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Dziedzic claims that Harris only looked bad on defense last year because he was playing with Vince.
Please. Vince was the only guy who played above average on defense on the entire team last year! The entire rest of the team (excepting maybe Najera’s 14 minutes for the season) were average or worse defenders.
October 5th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Ah yes, “personality issues”…so easy to dismiss. Why not use other words, closer to the truth…”doesn’t get along with teammates” or “disruptive” or perhaps even “crazy”.
One or two year rental in return for an All-Star with four years left. Oh yeah, makes a lot of sense.
October 5th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
@A.S
Harris gave up defense because this team was not filled with good scorers, and he is destined to be a leader on the offensive end, so he can’t play really good defense, and that’s one of the reasons that Lawrence Frank should be fired, no one can play really good defense under him. take a look at richard jefferson when he was a Net last season, he didn’t play defense, either.
So stop saying who is a better defender, Harris was a great defender under Avery Johnson. Rondo is on a good defensive team, and he should be a good defender. Period.
October 5th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
@ Net Income;
Would you trade Yi for Big Baby?
October 5th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
“Ah yes, “personality issues”…so easy to dismiss. Why not use other words, closer to the truth…”doesn’t get along with teammates” or “disruptive” or perhaps even “crazy”.”
Meh. Teammates don’t have to like each other to play well together. So, no, I don’t buy it.
“One or two year rental in return for an All-Star with four years left. Oh yeah, makes a lot of sense.”
If you read my 11:37 comment, you might have noticed that I was the commenter who brought up the fact that Harris’s contract is long and reasonable, so the trade wouldn’t make sense for the Nets.
That doesn’t change the fact that Rondo played better than Harris last year.
October 5th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
I’m not so sure that the main entry of this article should assume it was Ainge that made the proposal? Maybe it was him, but maybe it was Thorn who proposed it. I don’t think there is enough information to say it was definitely Ainge.
October 5th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Rondo only played better than Harris last year? 11.9 ppg and 8 apg with 65% FT% compared with 21 ppg and 7 apg. I won’t say Rondo is better than Harris. just for a round in the playoffs against a single team.
October 5th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Rondo is only 6-1, and Harris is 6-3, Harris has a better frame.
October 5th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
I wouldn’t trade Harris for Rondo unless Perkins or KG were included and Lopez was not. Ainge is a smart guy. Rondo’s stock is high but his value to the team is low (Imo the Celtics could win with our 3rd string PG either Alston or Dooling) and his contract is up so he is good trade bait. I bet this coversation last about 10 seconds regarding Harris & Rondo. There’s always plenty of suckers out there who will pay big money for guards when to me they’re a dime a dozen for the most part.
October 5th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
harris > Rondo
October 5th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I doubt Thorn would have even touched this. Rondo for Harris would have made no sense. Harris for CP3. Now we are talking.
Harris is a good defender. Like people have said, playing defense in a back court with VC will always make you look bad. Their is a reason why the defense has diminished since VC was here. Yeah VC is an amazing offensive player, but he really sucks at D. To actually praise VC for his defense is really pathetic. Yeah he got a little better, but he was so bad. Either that VC’s defensive liabilities rubs off other players or Frank has an ineffective Defensive strategies.
October 5th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I would not mind that trade
Rondo plays defense 100% of the time
Rondo is a pass first PG
Rondo could be traded by the Nets to get a good SF or PF
TWill can play PG or Alston
October 5th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Or the forwards were playing poor defense compromising both Harris and VC
October 5th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Devin plays defense. If I’m not mistaken, Tony Parker said he’s happy that Devin is out ouf the western conference.
Even though you play good defense, it doesn’t really matter if the team as a whole sucks in defense. That’s why Devin looks bad, and Rondo looks good.
No matter what angle you look at it, it’s not a good trade for the Nets.
October 5th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
this is interesting. i think Harris is the more talented player but Rondo is a better PG..he passes and defends better. I think both teams would of got worst with this trade tho. Celtics would of lost some defense and they would of had too many scorers on that team. Nets would of lost most of their offense and would of had trouble scoring night in and night out. Glad this trade didnt go down..I like Harris on this team
October 5th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
@Ispartan
I am not sure what you are trying to say. So when VC’s man is jacking up 3pters all game long, you are saying it is the F’s fault. Tell me it is Frank’s defensive system. VC always sucked. Harris has proven in Dallas that he can play D. VC has never proven such thing. The little stretches of VC good defense doesnt change the fact that he sucked at D.
Thanks Dude. I was going to mention that too. Harris used to give Western Conference PGs fits.
October 5th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
DH has tremendous value in a trade because of the skill level he brings for his contract—we would have been in a tough situation having Rondo’s contract extension on our hands. On our team, he would have become a 17/6rb/9ass/2stl guy and wanted 10+/yr. So I am very glad we didn’t do this, unless we would have gotten a young protypical big in the deal like Perk.
October 5th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Look what I found!!! LoL! That is some funny stuff.
“Vince Carter — the eight-time All-Star — caught Van Gundy’s wrath Wednesday, just the second day of training camp. Often treated with kid gloves during his time in New Jersey,…”
“”He (Carter) did not play well defensively today. He didn’t do a good job out there. He’s capable of doing a lot better, and that’s what I want to see,” Van Gundy said.”
http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/09/30/van-gundy-takes-vince-carter-to-task-defensively/
October 5th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Sounds like the honeymoon is over… Whoa!!!
October 5th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
while devin was in dallas
He had to play defense because thye didn’t need him for offense
Now in NJ DH has to be a scorer and play defense
He doesn’t have enough energy to do both
DH and the Nets probably would be better of with the DH from Dallas right now.
Defense and passing is what this team needs
October 5th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I think Rod shoulda got the Celtics starting five for the Nyets starting five. If you are going to make silly trade romors that never would actually happen, I say… “go long, baby, go long”
October 5th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I’m glad it didnt happen.. Harris>Rondo.
October 5th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
devin’s defense would be fine on the celtics where he isn’t carrying the scoring load. You guys who want rondo would be in for a rude awakening when u saw him in Franks “defensive” scheme. Plus rondo isn’t a knock down shooter from anywhere and harris gets to the rim at will. With rondo the Nets would score 60 pts a game and give up 200.
October 5th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Harris is CLEARLY the better player lol this is ridicolous. Rondo can be compared to Jameer Nelson, but not Devin harris.
October 5th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
A.S. To win championships you must have your best player play defense. When your best player plays defense everybody buys in and contributes no matter what their ability. Now you still need talent not just effort. V. Carter was a joke and just a scoring machine that had many bad shooting nights and took the team out of contention towards winning games. D. Harris is the sole leader and star now. You will see the difference with him the talented solid defender CD Roberts playing next to each other. Even L. Frank cannot screw this up. Just look at the last NBA champions. The stars on their teams all could play defense. KOBE, KG, Mr. Duncan, MJ Dah! This team will even have a second unit with K. Dooling and C. Lee playing solid defense. They are a good combo and better then some starters on other teams. Just Watch! Now V. Carter is in Orlando. They will have three starters whom play no defense in their lineup. Carter, Nelson & Lewis. You watch how they eventually choke.
Even L. James plays no defense yet. Just root for Cleveland to get to the finals and then watch Kobe and company stick it to both Cleveland Clowns L.James & S.O’Neal…But Always Root For The Brooklyn Nets!
October 5th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Thank the lord that Thorn was sober when Ainge tried to propose this deal. We need Harris’ scoring and hopefully he’ll continue to play defense
October 5th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
The Black Prince. You need two set of five to win. You cannot have all your scorers in the first five. Do the math 12 minutes a quarter, one basketball. C. Lee will dominate with Dooling in the second quarter which is another 12 minutes.
What team wins only five guys a championship? It takes ten.
October 5th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
On a team with “guts” players like KG, Pierce and Allen and RASHEED, DEVIN, who would be FORCED to defend and is a better player than RONDO, right now. DEVIN is a better shooter and faster to the rim. But Rondo is much younger and could develop a better outside shot. But maybe he wouldn’t. I wouldn’t make that trade, even-up. But the contracts difference makes you think about signing free agents next year with even more cap space??? OH WELL. Just pre-season chatter….
October 5th, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Rondo has more heart than any other point in the league..he has what J Kidd used to have. He’s smart, tough as nails and a great leader on both ends. He rebounds on heart, plays bigs, and gives up nothing,he makes you earn it every minute he’s out there. He’ll be putting up lots of triple doubles every night. His contract is better than Harris’s the first couple years. Harris is a fine player as well, All depends what the rest of the deal was
October 5th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
Harris: 21 ppg
Rondo: 15 ppg
Harris is a leader, Rondo assists 3 big players.
Harris must create the game, Rondo is the 4th man after B3
Harris has more skills, Rondo is shrining only Bcause of B3
Harris is allstar, Rondo isnt.
Conclussion: NO THX
But ill love CP3 for Harris
October 5th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
ya anyone who thinks rondo is better than harris is wrong in the head. Harris is the the better offensive player. Harris’s assists would go up if he had 3 allstars to pass the ball 2. Rondo is able to focus on defense and passing because he doesnt have to score much like harris was a defensive stud in dallas cause he wasnt the focus. I wouldlike to see rondo be the primary scorer for a team during a full season and see if he can still keep his defense up.
October 5th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
@mr.omG
Rondo:11.9 PPG only. lol
October 6th, 2009 at 4:56 am
Carter wasn’t that bad of a defender. He isn’t great, but he is not that bad defensively. To say Harris didnt play D last year because of Vince is pathetic.
October 6th, 2009 at 8:09 am
carter had offnights defensively, no doubt but we must not forget, how often VC shut down elite offensive players like kobe (head to head with VC, kobe is shooting way under 40%), pierce, allen etc.
BTW, to call harris a true leader is a bit early…..last season it was all about VC. he was the captain, he was the man and he was carrying this team
I think harris is a really great talent but he is far away from being a proven leader
October 6th, 2009 at 9:46 am
I can’t evaluate the personality issue but on the court I think Rondo is better. He definitely outplayed DH head to head last year. And, in addition to defense, he is much more durable. He was on fire in the playoffs last year, wheras DH peaked in midseason. As a RFA, Rondo could be extended in 2010 at modest cost with a qualifying offer and re-signed to a big contract in 2011.
October 6th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Rondo is a fine player, but for all the focus on Devin supposed shortcomings, only Pau mentioned the fact that RONDO CAN’T SHOOT. Rondo knows his limitations so why don’t we? He makes TWill look like Dave Bing.