It appears that right now, Rajon Rondo will remain a member of the Boston Celtics for the rest of the season. There has certainly been plenty of trade rumors surrounding the point guard. NBA executives have predicted he will be traded. NBA analysts think a deal is coming. However, Danny Ainge remains firm in his words despite saying several teams have called about negotiating a trade package.
Ainge really is not helping this whole situation, but maybe he loves that. The Celtics team president went on Toucher and Rich on Thursday morning. He told the radio program, "Yeah I'm getting calls, but I think everybody's sort of fishing right now. I don't think they're anticipating anything."
It would make sense that several teams would be interested in the point guard. The Celtics are terrible right now and showing no signs of improving. Rondo is the lone All-Star on the team with an expiring contract in 2015. It would make sense for the Celtics to deal him for young players and draft picks, helping set up for their rebuilding period this offseason. While the team might not be tanking on purpose, it is happening anyways, so why keep Rondo around?
Ainge is standing firm in his decision. The Celtics are not interested in rushing into any rash deal just because their season appears to be stalling. Instead, he has been in discussions about other available players including Omer Asik and Evan Turner. Ainge prefers to build around Rondo instead of letting the point guard for youth.
The team president said that instead, the Celtics have already begun negotiations regarding a contract extension for the future.
"We did talk to Rondo about extending him," Ainge said, via 98.5 the SportsHub. "But that's all part of the negotiation that will happen again this summer and most likely the summer after. In the collective bargaining agreement, there are limits on what can and can't be done. Really, it's not that Rondo doesn't want to accept an extension, as much as it's just not financially smart for him to accept it right now. We didn't think he would [sign], but we did try."
The Celtics could easily trade players before the deadline, but Rondo will not be one of them. Ainge told the radio program that he is simply doing his job by answering the phones, but has no plans on making a move.