Rajon Rondo explains why he thought of a commerce request as a Celtics rookie

Celtics

“We misplaced 18 straight video games, I simply wished alternative.”

Rajon Rondo established himself as one of many prime level guards in Celtics historical past throughout his 9 seasons in Boston.

Over 527 video games with Boston, Rondo gained an NBA title (2008), earned 4 All-Star nods, 4 All-Defensive Workforce choices and ranks third in franchise historical past in steals (990) and fourth in assists (4,474).

However the former All-Star admitted throughout a latest look on JJ Reddick’s “The Outdated Man and the Three” podcast that he initially wished to ask for a commerce out of Boston within the midst of his rookie yr with the group in 2006-07. 

Regardless of Rondo’s potential as an efficient flooring normal and playmaker, Rondo noticed restricted time on a Celtics group that went 24-58 that season.

Whereas issues improved the next offseason when Danny Ainge acquired each Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, Rondo admitted that his first foray within the NBA was typically a battle.

“I all the time believed in myself and I believed within the work I put in and simply prepared for the chance as a result of the yr earlier than I used to be asking for trades,” Rondo stated of his shifting fortunes in his first two seasons with the Celtics. “We misplaced 18 straight.

“Wait, you requested for a commerce your rookie yr,” Reddick interjected.

“I felt like, we misplaced 18 straight video games, I simply wished alternative,” Rondo defined. “Doc [Rivers] would inform me issues after which come recreation time, it wouldn’t occur. I used to be annoyed in that course of.

“Coming from Kentucky, I wasn’t accustomed to dropping like this. I wished to assist the group so every single day in follow I’d bust my butt, attempt to determine it out and nonetheless wasn’t producing within the recreation or wasn’t getting an opportunity to provide in a recreation. I used to be asking for commerce, I’m glad I didn’t clearly.”

Rondo added: “I didn’t really go to the entrance workplace however I talked to my agent Invoice Duffy and my mentor Doug Bibby. They advised me, ‘The cream rises to the highest.’ I used to be in commerce talks with Minnesota that summer season for KG.

“Fortunately, I didn’t go and I used to be lucky to remain there. Going into that summer season, I simply wished to work my butt off, attempt to get higher every day, talked to plenty of completely different gamers and mentors about the right way to be a greater participant and the right way to be a pacesetter at such a younger age. I’d attempt to win these guys over.”

Rondo’s endurance paid off.

As one of many few younger property who wasn’t dealt to both Seattle or Minnesota within the Allen/Garnett blockbuster trades, Rondo rapidly established himself as the place to begin guard on the 2007-08 Celtics squad that gained 66 video games en path to the franchise’s seventeenth championship.