A Quartet of reasons why the Boston Celtics should trade Rajon Rondo

Sometimes Rajon Rondo plays
like a superstar ... while other times
... he looks like a different player.

Before I get started explaining why I believe the Boston Celtics should part ways with often-inconsistent point guard Rajon Rondo, let me just say that I already suspect that I am going to piss off a lot of Boston Celtics fans with this short op-ed on column.

Having said that, as I always say, ‘It’s better to be pissed off than pissed on’ so get over it hard core C’s fans. Besides, if you really think about the points I’m going to make in this article, then you’ll know I’m right about Boston moving its most attractive trade piece.

Okay NBA roundball lovers, with that said let me get started with this fun-filled, yet, eye-opening look at why the storied Boston Celtics should trade Rondo.

Dude Can’t Shoot a Lick!

I know Rondo is averaging a career-high 18.8 points per game this season, but the fact of the matter is that the pass-first floor leader has never averaged more than the 13.7 points per game he did during the 2009-10 campaign.

While Rondo would appear to be a very good shooter with a career mark or 48.7 percent from the field and two full seasons of shooting at least 50 percent, those numbers are mostly due to the fact that Rondo takes a lot of drives to the basket and not much else.

Basically, Rondo’s inability to consistently make jump shots from as close as 15 feet, hinders the Celtics and their offense in a big way as team can mostly play five on four when the C’s are on offense, much like Miami did in ousting Boston in last season’s playoffs.

Rondo Has an On-Court ‘Split Personality’

One game Rondo looks like a blossoming superstar and the next he looks like a nervous rookie scared to shoot the rock from 10 feet away, even when he’s wide open. Until I see otherwise, Rondo’s offensive inconsistencies will remain one of the driving reasons I am calling for the Celtics to move Rondo now rather than later on.

Not A Leader!

Not only does Rajon Rondo have some serious holes in his game, but he is also not much of a true leader if you listen to those that know him fairly intimately. Rondo has butted heads with respected head coach Doc Rivers on numerous  occasions, not to mention having his fair share of issues with some of Boston’s Big Three and other veteran players over the course of his young, five-year, NBA career.

Time To Rebuild

Clearly now, it’s time for the aging Boston Celtics to take some emphatic steps to rebuild their roster with the team’s Big Three (okay not Ray Allen) aging faster than a bottle of cheap wine. By moving Rondo now, the Celtics could work a package where they could receive two or three capable players, picks or a combination of the two. The C’s could take a chance on a young player or pursue a veteran free agent floor leader that’s still somewhere in his prime or close to it. Boston needs quite a few players to kick off its rebuilding phase and moving Rondo for multiple players or picks would be a great start.

To make a long story short, I’m not sure Rajon Rondo would be nearly as good as he is with the Celtics were he playing with another franchise and I believe the Celtics would be better off right now trading away their young floor leader and trying to acquire multiple players or picks that could potentially help the Celtics chase their championship dreams over the next few seasons.

Ichiro to Bounce Back in 2012?

Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame-bound
outfielder Ichiro Suzuki looks to bounce
back in 2012 after a sub par 2011.

We here at Eye On Sports (okay, it’s just me) have long been an Ichiro Suzuki fan, which is why I’m so upset about the sub par season he just unfurled – and the fact that he may never get away from the perennially losing Seattle Mariners before it totally drains him of all his former exuberance.

After 10 consecutive seasons of batting at least .300 and collecting at least 200 hits, Ichiro struggled far beyond anyone’s comprehension in 2011 in batting just .272 with 184 total hits.

While the Hall of Fame-bound superstar is still very durable, having played in 161 games a year ago, there are now question marks surrounding the game’s most consistent hitter for the first time since he first made his big league debut back in 2001.

Now 38-years-old, the face of the Mariners franchise is undoubtedly in the midst of the first real test of his big league a career.

Will Ichiro bounce back to hit .300? Will he collect at least 200 hits in doing so?

Get your vote on and leave your thoughts in the comments section!

Federer weighs in on Lin

Career grand slam leader
Roger Federer likes Jeremy Lin.

Well, since every professional athlete on the face of the planet these days seems t have an opinion on New York’s Knicks overnight sensation, Jemery Lin, I guess no one should be shocked that all-time career grand slam leader Roger Federer, a huge hoops fan, has his own thoughts on the overlooked Lin.

The likable Lin has made fans worldwide.

On a conference call with reporters last Thursday to promote a March 5 exhibition against Andy Roddick at Madison Square Garden, Federer said he's "heard a bit about" Lin before adding these thoughts.

“It's quite an incredible story, actually, and I hope he can come to the exhibition,” Federer said. [Lin is] "why, I think, we all follow sports -- because of great stories like this," when "all of a sudden, someone breaks through that you didn't know or didn't expect."

First Speights, now Turner … Collins makes wrong move for Sixers

Philadelphia foolishly traded
talented big man Marreesse
Speights earlier this season.

I always call it like I see it and from where I’m sitting, I think Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doug Collins is clearly making a huge mistake by bringing along second-year swingman Evan Turner far too slowly for a player that was selected with the second overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft.

First, Collins dropped the ball in a big way by trading young, sweet-shooting big man Marreesse Speights to the Memphis Grizzlies for basically a bag of marbles, even though Philly, like every other team in the league, needs competent big men.

How Speights could immediately move into a starting role for the Western Conference title-contending Memphis Grizzlies, but couldn’t even find his way on the court for Collins and the Sixers is beyond me, but clearly there’s some sort of problem with Collins’ penchant for not playing certain youngsters.

Having said that, Eye On Sports NBA hardwood lovers, I also have to rip Collins for his even more glaring failure to play Turner consistently this season even though he clearly has a bunch of positive skills that could help Collins’ young ballclub.

Evan Turner, the No. 2 pick in the 2010
NBA Draft, needs to play more minutes - now!

After playing Turner just 23.0 minutes per game as a rookie last season, Turner’s minutes have not gone up this season with the former Ohio State superstar averaging just 23.8 minutes of playing time per contest.

The multi-faceted swingman is averaging just 8.2 points per contest after averaging 7.2 per game a year ago.

Just looking back at the 2010 NBA Draft should bother Turner and the Sixers, seeing as how several players that were picked after Turner have established themselves as either starters or integral parts of their respective teams’ current and near futures.

No. 5 pick DeMarcus Cousins, despite his immaturity issues, is a starter for the Sacramento Kings while No. 7 pick Greg Monroe also starts in the middle for the Detroit Pistons.

Sixers head coach Doug Collins has made some serious
personnel mistakes during his tenure with the team that drafted him over three decades ago.

Versatile forward Gordon Hayward, the No. 9 pick in the draft is averaging just over 27.0 minutes per game for the Utah Jazz and No. 10 overall pick, shooting guard Paul George, is starting to look like he’s got real superstar potential as the starting two guard for the blossoming Indiana Pacers.

I mean really, the Knicks nabbed a starter in Landry Fields with the No. 39 overall pick while Utah’s slam dunk champion Jeremy Evans was selected with the 55th overall pick and now looks like he’s going to be serious contributor for the Jazz for years to come.

Collins needs to start Turner and get him on the floor with young point guard Jrue Holiday so the pair can grow together and form the foundation for Philly’s franchise for the next decade. For Collins to fail to recognize that Turner needs to play and play right now – is a mistake of epic proportions and one that could come back to haunt the Sixers for years to come.

Rolling Thunder!

Kevin Durant.

The Oklahoma City Thunder will head into the second half of the regular season on a red-hot roll – and one that has me really believing they could win it all.

Not only are Kevin Durant and the Thunder tied with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat for the best record in the league (27-7) but they’re also coming off of consecutive 15-point wins over the Celtics and Lakers last Wednesday and Thursday, just prior to the annual all-star contest.

Russell Westbrook.

Sure, Oklahoma City will have a much tougher route to the NBA Finals than Miami, but surviving the gauntlet that is the Western Conference playoffs could very well make them even stronger should they reach the finals.

James Harden.

Maybe it’s me, but when I look at the Thunder, I see a very complete team with a trio of outstanding scorers in Durant, point guard Russell Westbrook and shooting guard James Harden, not to mention two rebounding and defensive forces in Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins.

It’s going to be an interesting second half of the regular season NBA roundball lovers, but I wouldn’t bet against Durant and the ‘Rolling Thunder’ at this point.

Tiger’s Troubles!

Eye On Sports says Tiger
Woods may never regain his
former, world-wide dominance.

Sure, he’s in the midst of rebuilding his career – and his personal life after both fell apart shortly after his Thanksgiving Day debacle nearly three years ago, but I’m going on record right now to say that Woods will likely never regain the dominance – and intimidation factor – that he once held over every other golfer on the face of the planet.

Don’t go having a cardiac arrest or anything Eye On Sports readers, but dare I say, Woods looks … ordinary.

What's your take on Woods and his struggles to regain his previous form? Sound off in the comments section.