Celtics' owner 'absolutely' wants to keep 'stubborn' Rajon Rondo
Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck said Rajon Rondo is stubborn and difficult to coach, but he wants to keep him for the long-term, he said on WBZ-TV, via Boston.com's Adam Kauffman.
Rondo, 28, is entering the final season of his contract, and he has been mentioned in trade discussions for much of his career. Rondo and former coach Doc Rivers butted heads during their time together in Boston, and Grousbeck said he can be a tough player to coach.
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“He’s super stubborn,” said Grousbeck, adding Rondo is a good, generous kid who loves being in Boston. “I don’t know how coachable he really is."
“I know if you ask Doc [Rivers], ‘Was he the most coachable guy, or in the top half, 50 percent,’ he’d say, ‘No, he’s in the bottom 50 percent of being coachable.’ It’s hard with him," Grousbeck continued.
Despite his sometimes difficult personality, Grousbeck said he want to keep the four-time All-Star in Boston.
Via Boston.com:
Grousbeck was asked by anchor Dan Roche about the captain’s future, and the owner said he’d “absolutely” like Rondo to remain for the long-term.
"It’s intangible,” Grousbeck said of the man he called a great Celtic. “You just watch him. He played through sort of a broken elbow, a ripped knee. He’s a gamer, he’s a competitor, and he’s got world-class talent.”
Celtics president Danny Ainge said he doesn't see the team trading Rondo.
Rondo played in 30 games last season in his return from a torn ACL. He averaged 11.7 points and 9.8 assists last season, but shot just 40.8 percent from the field.
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