Rajon Rondo made his return to the court on Friday in Boston’s loss to the Lakers, so now that he’s back playing, the reports have already begun to ramp back up that the Celtics will look to trade him as soon as the right offer comes along, largely because he won’t fit into the team’s rebuilding plans.
Except I’m not necessarily buying it.
We’ll get to that part in a moment, but first, here’s the latest from Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News:Rondo is the last blue chip from the 2008 championship team and 2010 Finals team that Celtics president Danny Ainge can convert into assets as he rebuilds the franchise. More than a few GMs around the league expect Rondo to be on the move, if not at the trading deadline next month, then maybe in June at draft time. ...
Rondo probably isn’t going to accept a role in a rebuilding situation with a rookie coach, Brad Stevens, so look for Ainge to try to move him to the West, with Phoenix and Houston seen as two potential destinations. Dallas has always had interest in the four-time All-Star, who blew out his right knee last January, but Mark Cuban doesn’t have the assets to make it work.
A lot of maybe and probably in there, and despite what some GMs may expect, it’s far from certain that the Celtics will look to trade Rondo this season or this summer.
Let’s start with the rookie head coach part -- Rondo has already bonded with Brad Stevens, saying the two had become best friends long before the season began. Things can change once he’s actually playing, of course, but Rondo hasn’t mentioned one word about having a problem with the rebuilding situation or his new head coach.
Speaking of the rebuild, Rondo isn’t exactly a grizzled veteran -- he’s a four-time All-Star who’s now in his eighth season. Bad teams need to acquire stars at some point to begin the winning process, and the Celtics have a good one in Rondo already in place. He’s experienced winning and has done so in Boston, which gives him credibility among younger teammates while taking over the leadership responsibilities.
If a team comes calling with a package that’s too good to pass up, then yes, the Celtics will trade Rondo. The fact that they’re in a rebuilding mode, however, doesn’t mean that they’re going to look to expedite that process.