Chad Ford On Pierce and Rondo

In this insider piece today, Chad Ford goes through the three different categories of 2010 free agents, and where things currently stand with each of them. First, Ford assures readers that Paul Pierce wants to retire a Celtic, a sentiment that is shared by the Boston front office. The Celtics will, he says, offer Pierce an extension.

However, in discussing the players who will be restricted free agents, Ford says the following on Rajon Rondo:

"Conventional practice would've had Rondo already locked into an extension by now. He was the best player on the floor for the Celtics in the playoffs, and he's just 23 years old.

However, the truth is much weirder. The Celtics actually shopped Rondo this summer, and when the shopping went public, both Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers bad-mouthed Rondo a little. It was nothing major, but talk about him being selfish and not following team rules couldn't have gone over well in his camp. I think the Celtics are afraid to give him a long-term extension right now and fully expect that, unless Rondo is traded, he'll be a restricted free agent next summer.

A number of teams, including the Heat, Knicks and Rockets, need a point guard. If the Celtics won't pay him, someone else will."


This whole thing has been very strange, and I haven't really known what to make of it. All along I've just been hoping that Ainge's intention was to have a few declined trades to use as leverage when negotiating Rondo's extension. Rondo believes he's a max contract player. The activity of early June suggests otherwise. However, if no extension is reached before the season begins, I really have to wonder how wise it was for Ainge and Rivers to open their mouths at all. If you're not going to extend him long term, then it makes no sense to open your mouth and say anything that might affect his motivation or psyche.

The one thing I keep reminding myself of is this: if no extension is reached, Rondo's motivation won't be affected because he'll have no choice but to give his team everything he has. The further he leads the Celtics in the playoffs, the bigger contract he'll be inking in the offseason.