Rajon Rondo is the last bit of star power remaining in the Celtics locker room, after the team decided to enter a full-fledged rebuild by trading Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets.

Rondo is not healthy, however, after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL injury he suffered in late January of last season.

There should be absolutely no rush for Rondo to return, both for his personal overall health as a player as well as the fact that a team like Boston, which isn’t expected to go anywhere next year, has little need for his services.

Pierce speculated at his introductory press conference in Brooklyn that Rondo may not be ready until December or January, but Celtics GM Danny Ainge is eyeing a return for his All-Star point guard much sooner than that.

From Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston:

Ainge did admit that the team might have to take it slow with Rondo during training camp starting in late September, but said being ready for opening night in late October was a reasonable goal. That’s still an aggressive timeline considering Rondo had surgery in February and would be little more than eight months removed from surgery for that partially torn ACL by opening night. Pierce and Garnett hinted that they have suggested to Rondo to take it slow, maybe noting that there’s little rush to get back for a team in transition. But after Rondo had to sit out the final three months of the 2012-13 season, it’s going to be hard to keep him pinned down.

The last thing the Celtics need is another situation like the one the Bulls went through with Derrick Rose last season, where hope was constantly dangled in front of the fan base that their best player would eventually return, when in fact that day still has yet to come.

We’re a long way from that in Boston, obviously, as even the most conservative timetable would say that Rondo is expected back sometime before the All-Star break.

But it might be best not to make any promises here where Rondo’s rehabilitation is concerned, and simply let the player himself determine when exactly the best time will be for his eventual return to basketball.

[via Eye on Basketball]