Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge made his weekly appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich show Thursday and touched on Rajon Rondo’s television performance, impending free agents, and former players Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Rondo joined Mike Gorman for the first half of a Comcast’s Celtics-Bulls broadcast Monday.

“I thought that he was a little bit nervous at first, then loosened up a little,” said Ainge. “He was a little guarded. Knowing Rajon so well, he does sort of talk in a monotone way most of the time, but he does have this really fun, loud, obnoxious sometimes, side to him, and he’s pretty funny. So we didn’t get to see that side of him yet.”


With the Celtics out of the playoffs this year, Ainge said he would split his time between preparing for the draft and watching the playoffs. He admitted he had a soft spot in his heart for Pierce and Garnett.

“I love those guys; I’d love to see them succeed,” Ainge said. “Since we’re not in it this year I will root for them.”

Ainge also revealed Thursday that he had talked to forward Kris Humphries about the possibility of coming back next season. Humphries, who is making $12 million this year, will be a free agent after the season.

“I have had a few conversations with Kris,” said Ainge. “Because he’s been with us all year, he was with us in the summer and all this year. Kris sort of knows where we are as an organization and he knows we like him. And he knows there is a lot of uncertainty, depending on which direction we choose to go this summer. None of us now.

But he knows we like him, his coaches and teammates like him, we just can’t make any promises yet.”

Ainge was also asked about Jerryd Bayless and Phil Pressey but only offered comment on Humphries.