Rajon Rondo has one more year on his contract with the Celtics, but will become an unrestricted free agent following the conclusion of the 2015 season.
The Celtics are rebuilding, and as the team continues to weigh its options, there’s no guarantee that Rondo will finish out his current deal in Boston.
But speaking about his future, Rondo said there are many factors that go into choosing where a player wants to play. And the fan support the Celtics have received, especially this year during a down season, didn’t go unnoticed.
From Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald:“I know that would be a big reason why you wouldn’t want to leave a city like Boston,” said Rondo, “because every night, even with the season we’re having, we’re probably still leading the league in attendance or at least up near the top.
“I mean, the fans in Boston, they know the game. You can’t cheat the fans. They know the game. It’s fun to play there. It’s definitely something you appreciate even more once you go on the road and see other teams that have like 6,000 people in the stands. Every night, it’s 18,000 in Boston.
“So you don’t take that for granted,” Rondo said. “I know I don’t. I’ve been in the league for eight years, and in Boston the crowd is consistent. They’re always there.”
Joel Anthony, Avery Bradley and Brandon Bass all had similar things to say in the same piece.
While the fan support in Boston may be well above average, it hasn’t translated into free agents choosing to sign with the Celtics. The last time the team was contending for titles, it required trading for superstar players in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, neither of whom would have been likely to choose Boston in free agency.
Rondo, however, will have the chance to change all of that, should he regain his All-Star form and then choose to sign a long-term deal to stay with the Celtics.
