Report: Celtics never seriously considered trading Rajon Rondo

Report: Celtics never seriously considered trading Rajon Rondo

Brett Pollakoff Aug 16, 2013, 4:27 PM EDT

AP
Once Celtics GM Danny Ainge came to the conclusion that Boston’s aging core was no longer capable of contending for a title, he traded away Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, and plunged the team into a full-fledged rebuild in the process.

It was widely believed around the league that All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo was available, too, and could have been had for the right price. But a rebuild has to begin with elite-level talent at some point, and Rondo is a piece that the team apparently had no intention of trading at this time.

From Sean Deveney of Sporting News:

The wave of phone calls the Celtics received in early July about Rondo has passed, and according to league sources, Boston never seriously entertained dealing their flighty point guard. Rumored talks with Detroit were “overblown,” a source said, and Rondo does not want out of Boston. Rondo is coming off ACL surgery, which bumps down his value, and the Celtics were not planning on selling low regardless.

The low trade value may have had as much to do with Boston standing pat as anything, and unless there was a combination of cap relief (in the form of packaging a bad contract in a Rondo deal — you know, like the one Gerald Wallace is on the books for) and future first round draft picks, the Celtics weren’t going to give up on Rondo before they see what he’s capable of under new head coach Brad Stevens.

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My Take: Lol. The saga continues.

KJ