Rajon Rondo’s high school coach said Carmelo Anthony was recruiting Rondo, a 2015 free agent, to New York. As Kurt wrote, those types of conversations happen all the time.
Of course, nobody publicly admits to them while they’re ongoing (except Chandler Parsons, who bragged about recruiting Dwight Howard to the Rockets).
Anthony, via Ian Begley and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com:
“C’mon, man. In my book, that’s tampering,” he said.
“People talk, media talk, people make up rumors, people run with them,” Rondo said after the Celtics’ shootaround Tuesday before they played the Brooklyn Nets.
“I haven’t spoken to him. He ain’t contacted me. It’s just rumors.”
Maybe Melo and Rondo have talked about teaming up. Maybe they haven’t. But those quotes don’t tell me anything.
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No matter what Melo and Rondo say, this rumor seems viable, though.
As long as the Knicks don’t blow their flexibility – OK, maybe it’s not viable – they should have nearly enough cap room in 2015 to sign Rondo even after re-signing Melo. As we saw last season, and reinforced by the lack of it this year, Melo’s Knicks function much better with ball movement. Rondo would definitely help there, and he’d be a big defensive upgrade.
And as much as Danny Ainge says the Celtics are committed to building around Rondo, nobody really believes it. Even if Ainge is actually committed to a Rondo-centric rebuild, the point guard can be mercurial, and a down year or two could make his relationship with the Celtics untenable.
So, keep the idea of Rondo to the Knicks in the back of your mind. Just don’t ask Rondo or Melo about it. They’ve already said all they will.