The Celtics are making no movements toward a Rajon Rondo trade even as they look to acquire Omer Asik, and if the C’s deal Rondo, it’s not likely to happen until around draft time in June, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Rondo hasn’t requested a trade, nor has he suggested that he’d be open to one, Deveney adds.
Boston is waiting to see how Rondo performs when he returns from his torn ACL, and a source tells Deveney that it would take an “exceptional” offer to get the Celtics to budge from their position. Coach Brad Stevens has been making an effort to develop a relationship with Rondo and wants to have him on the team for a long time to come, Deveney writes.
Rondo has been in trade rumors ever since the deal that sent Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets, but the point guard would like to take over as the on-court leader of the Celtics now that Pierce and Garnett are gone, Deveney writes. Rondo wants to demonstrate his value as a franchise player before his contract is up after next season.