Celtics GM Danny Ainge: No Plans to Trade Rajon Rondo

Danny Ainge wants the hoops world to know (or at least believe) that despite his point guard’s name appearing in all kinds of trade rumors lately, Rajon Rondo isn’t being shopped by the Celtics. From the Boston Globe: “Ainge said that the team’s greatest need is size, but said that he’s also got a point guard position (a backup) and wing positions to fill. He said the team has eight players he considers signed, not including the two players the team drafted in June. Ainge said the Celtics are not close to signing any free agents or completing a trade. On the trade rumors that have been floating around the team’s starting point guard, Ainge said, ‘[Rajon] Rondo will be fine. Rondo knows that we love him. He knows that we like him. He’s excited to come back and play basketball in my opinion. He gets a lot of attention. He’s a great player. There’s a lot of people that call me and ask me about Rondo. How these rumors get out is unfortunate. We didn’t leak those rumors out. He’ll deal with it, he’ll be fine.’ Asked if he anticipated trading Rondo or the team’s other three All-Stars, Ainge said, ‘I don’t anticipate that, no.’ Said [Doc] Rivers, ‘I think he’s one of the top point guards in the NBA. I think Rondo has established that. There’s a reason when this thing leaked out that it was all over the news. It’s because both players they were talking about were really good. He is a great basketball player, and he does so many things for our team. He should be flattered in a lot of ways that this is news.’ Ainge said Rondo wasn’t the only Celtics player drawing interest from other teams. ‘I field a lot of calls about players on our roster,’ said Ainge. ‘Trade rumors are part of the world we live in. It’s a media circus out there. Everybody’s been in trade rumors and everybody will. If you’re worth your salt you’ll be mentioned in a trade somewhere along the line.’”