Rondo Wants To Stay With Celtics, Realistic About Short-Term Prognosis

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 12:57 am

Rajon Rondo will begin the 14-15 season coming back from a left hand injury, but it will be an important year with free agency looming in July. A veteran of eight seasons, Rondo has assumed a leadership role with the Boston Celtics since the departure of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. He has also developed a good relationship with Brad Stevens, who replaced Doc Rivers before the 2013-14 season.

There have been rumors for more than a year that Rondo’s days with the Celtics are numbered, but on Monday he insisted that he wants to remain with the Celtics over the long-term. He even joked that he hopes to put an end to persistent trade rumors by negotiating a no-trade clause into his next contract, looking over at Danny Ainge with a smirk.

“Yes,” Rondo replied with conviction when asked if he wants to re-sign with the Celtics. “The fans and the people here are the ones that make me want to stay. I can’t say enough about Danny and Wyc [Grousbeck], but when I’m out there on the street the whole community embraces me.”

Rondo could command a max contract as an outright free agent next summer, something he admitted during the team’s annual media day that he believes he deserves. He was the starting point guard for a championship team as a second-year player back in 2008, but he's aware that Ainge is currently working on a rebuild.

“I’m pretty smart, I know this isn’t a championship season,” Rondo said when asked about the team’s short-term chances.

Via Andrew Perna/RealGM

Sam195 · Post #2 » by **Sam195** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 2:36 pm

Greg Monroe and his agent might be smiling at this news - now rondo has joined marc gasol, lamarcus aldridge and kevin love by saying that they will resign in their current situations for 5 year max deals. Greg Monroe will be the top free gent next summer and will have his choice of destinations. Since Monroe signed his qualifying offer - he received a temporary no-trade clause and the pistons surrendered his bird rights. Monroe might help the pistons out by requesting a trade to a contender as a rental player (with a low cap hit from his QO) so they might be able to salvage some assets (picks and young players) when he is basically indicated indirectly that he is ready to bolt. Monroe is guaranteed to get the max next summer regardless how this season turns out because 7-footers who can play in the post in the nba are hot commodities.

BigFatBob · Post #3 » by **BigFatBob** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 4:41 pm

Sam195 wrote:Greg Monroe and his agent might be smiling at this news - now rondo has joined marc gasol, lamarcus aldridge and kevin love by saying that they will resign in their current situations for 5 year max deals. Greg Monroe will be the top free gent next summer and will have his choice of destinations. Since Monroe signed his qualifying offer - he received a temporary no-trade clause and the pistons surrendered his bird rights. Monroe might help the pistons out by requesting a trade to a contender as a rental player (with a low cap hit from his QO) so they might be able to salvage some assets (picks and young players) when he is basically indicated indirectly that he is ready to bolt. Monroe is guaranteed to get the max next summer regardless how this season turns out because 7-footers who can play in the post in the nba are hot commodities.

Are you Monroe's agent or just a die hard Celtics fan hoping Monroe's next destination will be Boston?

jlokine · Post #4 » by **jlokine** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 6:19 pm

“I’m pretty smart, I know this isn’t a championship season,”

translation: yea my teammates suck and we have no chance at championship.. even though we havent played a minute of basketball...

gee.. feels great to be rondo's teammate... a leader on the floor that doesnt believe in me.. at least he could follow up with "we'll compete every night and do our best" or something like that.. i know he's being realistic but you really shouldnt publicly discourage your own team when everyone looks to your lead.

thegreenlife · Post #5 » by **thegreenlife** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:26 pm

BigFatBob wrote:
Sam195 wrote:Greg Monroe and his agent might be smiling at this news - now rondo has joined marc gasol, lamarcus aldridge and kevin love by saying that they will resign in their current situations for 5 year max deals. Greg Monroe will be the top free gent next summer and will have his choice of destinations. Since Monroe signed his qualifying offer - he received a temporary no-trade clause and the pistons surrendered his bird rights. Monroe might help the pistons out by requesting a trade to a contender as a rental player (with a low cap hit from his QO) so they might be able to salvage some assets (picks and young players) when he is basically indicated indirectly that he is ready to bolt. Monroe is guaranteed to get the max next summer regardless how this season turns out because 7-footers who can play in the post in the nba are hot commodities.

Are you Monroe's agent or just a die hard Celtics fan hoping Monroe's next destination will be Boston?

I'm a die hard Celtics fan, and I'd much rather have a defensive anchor in the paint rather than an offensive minded power forward/center who's mediocre on defense. Monroe isn't worth the max if he can't play defense

Sam195 · Post #6 » by **Sam195** » Tue Sep 30, 2014 8:31 pm

BigFatBob wrote:
Sam195 wrote:Greg Monroe and his agent might be smiling at this news - now rondo has joined marc gasol, lamarcus aldridge and kevin love by saying that they will resign in their current situations for 5 year max deals. Greg Monroe will be the top free gent next summer and will have his choice of destinations. Since Monroe signed his qualifying offer - he received a temporary no-trade clause and the pistons surrendered his bird rights. Monroe might help the pistons out by requesting a trade to a contender as a rental player (with a low cap hit from his QO) so they might be able to salvage some assets (picks and young players) when he is basically indicated indirectly that he is ready to bolt. Monroe is guaranteed to get the max next summer regardless how this season turns out because 7-footers who can play in the post in the nba are hot commodities.

Are you Monroe's agent or just a die hard Celtics fan hoping Monroe's next destination will be Boston?

Monroe to Boston could happen - he's apparently close friends with fellow Georgetown alum Jeff Green and didn't seem to be bothered at all when rumours popped up earlier this year that pistons were pursuing rondo in a trade and that Danny Ainge made it clear to detroit front office that any realistic offer had to include either him or Drummond. Rondo is close friends with Josh Smith who is the major reason Monroe wants out of motown - smith is taking away his minutes and both struggle to play together on the court. The cap hit on Smith's contract is also a reason why pistons weren't that keen on negotiating a max or near max extension during the season because their forward log jam and salaries (drummond will also seek a max deal in a season) - make it hard to surround the team with enough talent to compete in the playoffs let alone pursue a title.

kobe48306 · Post #7 » by **kobe48306** » Wed Oct 1, 2014 2:36 am

Sam195 wrote:
BigFatBob wrote:
Sam195 wrote:Greg Monroe and his agent might be smiling at this news - now rondo has joined marc gasol, lamarcus aldridge and kevin love by saying that they will resign in their current situations for 5 year max deals. Greg Monroe will be the top free gent next summer and will have his choice of destinations. Since Monroe signed his qualifying offer - he received a temporary no-trade clause and the pistons surrendered his bird rights. Monroe might help the pistons out by requesting a trade to a contender as a rental player (with a low cap hit from his QO) so they might be able to salvage some assets (picks and young players) when he is basically indicated indirectly that he is ready to bolt. Monroe is guaranteed to get the max next summer regardless how this season turns out because 7-footers who can play in the post in the nba are hot commodities.

Are you Monroe's agent or just a die hard Celtics fan hoping Monroe's next destination will be Boston?

If he isn't I am. I would love to see Monroe in Celtic green. Monroe has been so under appreciated in Detroit. Monroe has the potential to be a perennial all-star. I have lived in Michigan my entire life & been a die-hard, bleed green, Celtic fan the entire time. (59 years) Rondo, stay where you are at & Danny get some pieces to put around him. When healthy, Rondo is the best PG in the NBA.

Monroe to Boston could happen - he's apparently close friends with fellow Georgetown alum Jeff Green and didn't seem to be bothered at all when rumours popped up earlier this year that pistons were pursuing rondo in a trade and that Danny Ainge made it clear to detroit front office that any realistic offer had to include either him or Drummond. Rondo is close friends with Josh Smith who is the major reason Monroe wants out of motown - smith is taking away his minutes and both struggle to play together on the court. The cap hit on Smith's contract is also a reason why pistons weren't that keen on negotiating a max or near max extension during the season because their forward log jam and salaries (drummond will also seek a max deal in a season) - make it hard to surround the team with enough talent to compete in the playoffs let alone pursue a title.