The fact he can be a free agent next summer makes this a bit tricky. Ainge remains one of his most ardent fans, but the president of basketball operations has to decide whether he can make the Celts good enough soon enough to make his point guard want to stay.
There’s no question Ainge will gauge the level of interest around the league in the All-Star (he wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t), but if the Celts are able to deal for a big-name veteran of the Kevin Love variety, Rajon Rondo almost certainly won’t go anywhere.
Ainge never has been afraid to make bold moves, but he’s a little more cautious with Rondo, knowing he has to get something special in return (there’s also the knowledge Rondo will throw a triple-double at the Celts out of spite whenever the Shamrocks meet his new team, but that’s more a concern for fans).
In terms of his value, Rondo is seen around the league as one of the game’s top handful of players when he’s on. But some general managers have expressed concern about his personality and the consistency issues that Ainge has mentioned in the past.
The bottom line is Rondo remains the Celtics’ most magnetic force for attracting a star and their most valuable trade commodity. Boston Herald