Rajon Rondo is all that is left of Boston Celtics team that was the original super team before the Miami Heat developed. After elimination from the first round of the playoffs, Doc Rivers departed while Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were traded shortly after. Paired with Ray Allen's departure a year before, Rondo is the last piece remaining from the championship team. With the Celtics going through a rebuilding phase, Garnett recognizes the transition will be hard for Rondo.
While speaking at the Brooklyn Nets introductory press conference, Garnett felt for his former teammate, noting that they all joined the team as strangers and became brothers over time.
"When Ray [Allen] left [for Miami last summer] it was hard for everybody there. We saw Doc Rivers leave, that blew us out of the water," Garnett said. "It's kind of like looking up at the wave coming. And now we're here so I can only imagine what he's going through. Obviously, I reached out to him, told him what I was going to do or whatever. I'm sure he's dealing with whatever he's dealing with."
Garnett notes the transition as unfortunate. Rondo is currently rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered last season as well as the idea of entering the 2013 season with a whole new batch of teammates. Garnett says that while the two might no longer be teammates, they are friends for life.
Pierce talked with Rondo recently and gave cautious advice about the road Rondo has ahead of him.
"Right now, he's injured and I told him this is probably going to be the toughest year of your whole career, mentally and physically," Pierce said. "Physically, you're dealing with an injury. Mentally, you know nothing but winning since you came into the league."
Pierce does not believe Rondo will be back until at least December from his injury. That seems to be news to general manager Danny Ainge who believed Rondo would be back by the start of the season, nothing the team had been encouraged by Rondo's progress.
Pierce and Garnett both told Rondo to take his rehab slow noting there was little reason to rush back.
"You have to go through these times. I've been through them. I explained to him how I went through it. I feel like, I'm on of the best players in the league now," Pierce said. "Rondo is going to be in that situation for maybe one year or two years, who knows? But, you have to be mentally prepared for it, and that's some of the things we talked about."
