Boston Celtics star Rajon Rondo reportedly told team president Danny Ainge he plans to re-sign with Boston as a free agent after the season. Ainge, for his part, said the Celtics have "no intention" to trade the four-time NBA All-Star.
Granted Ainge could be putting up a smokescreen, if you take him at his word, Rondo will remain a Celtic well beyond this season. Ainge spoke about his life Sunday night at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where somebody asked him about Rondo.
"The truthful answer is I really don't know," Ainge replied, according to Telegram.com. "I have no intention. I'm not trying to trade Rondo, but because he's a free agent this summer, he assured me that he wants to stay in Boston. We'd love to keep him in Boston."
Ainge added: "The possibility of a trade is not out of the question. Nobody is untradeable, but I don't see that happening."
Many believe Ainge will move Rondo before the February trade deadline because of the chance of losing Rondo as a free agent. The growing thought was Rondo would start the season as a Celtic and be dealt sometime in the new year. If Boston is confident Rondo will return, though, it's unlikely they will move him - assuming Boston sees Rondo, not rookie point guard Marcus Smart, as the future of the franchise.
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement gives Rondo financial incentive to become a free agent and sign - or re-sign - with a team. If Rondo were to test out the market in July, like New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony did, he wouldn't be short of suitors.
The Los Angeles Lakers, the Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings and New York are considered to be very interested in pursuing Rondo as an unrestricted free agent, which he's set to become on July 1.
