Rajon Rondo, the Boston Celtics All-Star point guard, is all about winning and he despises losing as what he told reporters on a March loss, according to ESPN Boston. Dany Ainge, the Celtics President of Basketball Operations, meanwhile, has built a reputation as a forward-thinking opportunist who will not hesitate to pull the trigger on a deal that will benefit the team's future as testament to the Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett trade to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for future draft picks. So the big question now is why is neither Ainge nor Rondo pushing for a pre-October divorce?
At this point, it has been made known that the Celtics are in the middle of a rebuilding process and it will probably take 2 or 3 years before they get back into the playoffs, much less contend for a title. When the Celtics decided to draft Marcus Smart and signed Avery Bradley, both young and promising point guards, to a four-year $32 million contract extension, Rondo's future with the team was in question. So why isn't Rondo demanding a trade like what Kevin Love did with the Minnesota Timberwolves this summer and why isn't Ainge pulling the trigger on a trade deal for Rondo with the trade deadline drawing near?
Tyle Conway of Bleacher Report believes that the answer lies in Rondo's injury. He wrote, "No one across the league knows quite where to place Rondo on the NBA's hierarchy anymore. He came back midway through last season and averaged his typical 11.7 points, 9.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game but was a lesser player in nearly every aspect. He shot just 40.3 percent from the field, including an abhorrent 32.7 percent outside five feet. He lost 7 percent from his jump shot conversion rate from 2012-13 to 2013-14."
On the other hand, the only way the Celtics can get significant value in a trade deal for Rondo is if he gets back to his All-Star form before the February trade deadline. It would therefore be in the best interest of both Rondo and Ainge to stick with each other in the coming season.
The Celtics reportedly declined the Sacramento Kings trade offer because they know they can get more than just Ben Mclemore for Rondo. As for Rondo, he wants to get a max contract preferably from a championship contender or a team that is one star away from being one. For the time being, it simply means that a Rajon Rondo trade is less likely to happen this offseason.
Or perhaps its just that Rondo loves being a Celtic and the City of Boston so much that he intends to stay for good?
Rondo said at the team's practice facility shortly after the team held workouts with college players leading up to this month's NBA draft as quoted by A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com, "I don't like change, really. I'm pretty comfortable. I have a beautiful home here, I love it. I don't want to leave. I'm a Celtic."
Join the Conversation