Boston Celtics: Rajon Rondo Won’t Be Obtainable This Offseason

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The process of rebuilding the Boston Celtics began when president of basketball operations Danny Ainge dealt Jason Terry, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets last summer.

With their franchise players leaving the Garden, the opportunity to tank this season in order to receive a top five pick in the upcoming draft was a realistic possibility. This was partly due to the fact that head coach Brad Stevens had a starting lineup consisting of Avery Bradley and Jeff Green.

Part of Ainge’s rebuilding plan will be to decide whether or not to keep superstar point guard Rajon Rondo or trade him before he becomes a free agent after the 2014-15 season. Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett reported on Friday that Rondo might be on the trade block heading into the offseason after the team missed their chance in dealing him during the trade deadline.

According to Stephon A. Smith of ESPN.com, the New York Knicks “snubbed” an offer that would have brought Rondo to Madison Square Garden. Giving that the 28-year old is still in his prime and is coming back strong following a torn ACL would have greatly improved Boston’s rebuilding period in terms of receiving more draft picks or expiring contracts in exchange for the four-time All-Star.

At the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, Illinois, Ainge refuted the reports written by Smith and explained to Bulpett of the Herald that the Knicks turning down a trade for Rondo was “maybe the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard.”

“That’s all speculation,” Ainge said. “Those aren’t facts. People don’t know that, so it’s just people speculating on Rondo’s free agency next summer. That’s all that you’re hearing. You’re not hearing any facts from anybody. Those conversations haven’t even been discussed, so that’s just speculation.”

Ainge also talked about how important Rondo is to the Celtics organization and that there isn’t any pressure whatsoever to trade the former Kentucky Wildcat. Aigne also said that even though it’s an ongoing thing, he hopes Rondo sees that the Celtics are making significant progress moving forward.

“We love Rondo, and Rondo loves us,” Ainge said. “We don’t feel like there’s pressure that we have to do something or there’s some sort of deadline that something has to get done by. You know, sure Rondo has to see progress and Rondo has to believe that we’re going to be contenders and be in the picture and have something. But that’s an ongoing thing. I mean, we feel that way with everybody.”

Last season, Rondo played in 30 games for the Celtics; averaging 11.7 points, 9.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game. He also recorded his first triple-double of the season against the Philadelphia 76ers last month after finishing the night with 11 points, 11 rebounds and 16 assists.

Zach Libby is an NBA columnist for Tru School Sports. Follow him on Twitter @Zach__Libby.