Why the Celtics Shouldn't Trade Rondo

I don't think the Celtics are Championship contenders. So I wouldn't mind if they traded some of their big names in an effort to build for the future. This team, as currently assembled, has no future. And their present isn't that good either. People in this town are exhilarated to win 4 straight and improve to 19-17, thus tightening their grasp on 7th place in the East.

One player that shouldn't be traded, unless you got significant compensation in return or could acquire a clearly superior player, is Rajon Rondo. Yesterday's triple-double was the latest example of his explosiveness. He's young, talented, and he helps you win games.

We know Rondo's faults. They've been meticulously and repeatedly documented the last few months. Never have so many written so much about such a small number of minor shortcomings. And those in favor of trading him repeatedly say stuff like "you can't build a team around him."

So?

Was the 2007-08 team built around him? Nope. That worked out well.

He doesn't have to be the centerpiece of the team. And he's proven that when he's surrounded by talent, he does extremely well. More importantly, the team does extremely well. You don't need to build around him in order to win. Yet he can still help you win.

There are better point-guards out there. But they're not cheap to pay for or easy to find. And it doesn't seem like Rondo's value in a trade would be very high. So how does trading your only young talent for medium value help you build for the future? How does dropping your youngest star help your future?

It doesn't make sense.

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