Rondo's Agent Weighs In

by Roy_Hobbs on Jun 25, 2009 9:29 AM EDT in News/Links Comment 24 comments

Rondo's agent responds to Danny's criticisms of Rondo, as Marc Spears reports:

“I am just surprised that Danny is speaking, even if he considers it constructively, in a public setting [about Rondo],’’ agent Bill Duffy said in a phone interview. “I don’t think that it’s appropriate to say that about one of your top players. Even if it’s spoken constructively, I don’t think it should be done in public. I don’t think [Ainge] would like it if [Celtics managing partner] Wyc [Grousbeck] was talking about him in public.

“What they’re saying about him critically is actually an asset to him. He is feisty. He is competitive, yes. Last time I checked they won a world championship with him at point guard. If the team wasn’t hurting they might have done it again this year. Rondo’s tough love from Danny isn’t necessary. He’s self-motivated and a self-starter.’’

. . . As of last night, neither Duffy nor Rondo had spoken to Ainge. When asked how Rondo felt about Ainge’s comments, Duffy said: “He knows. He’s all right.’’

. . . When asked if Ainge’s comments affected Rondo’s contract situation, Duffy said: “It doesn’t sound like a glowing endorsement. You say you love him and then you are critical? You’re certainly not recruiting him.’’

Duffy said Ainge “gave me every assurance that he wasn’t moving [Rondo]’’ on Monday, and the agent hasn’t requested a trade either.

“No, it’s not to that point,’’ Duffy said. “But if they choose to trade him, then that’s their prerogative.’’

I'm not sure what Danny's motivation was in being so candid, but I've got a mixed reaction. As a fan, I love being "in the loop", and actually knowing what's going on. Also, assuming the team is trying to motivate Rondo, and potentially get him to lower his contract demands, I understand the reasoning.

However, I also think that things like this have the potential to sour a relationship quickly. The last thing you want is a public war of words between your front office and your starting point guard. Not only would that lower Rondo's potential trade value, but most importantly, it could easily lead to resentment. If Rondo really is stubborn and really does have problems hiding his anger / frustration, then calling him out in public potentially doesn't help that.

This hasn't reached a criticial stage yet, but it's easy to see how this could escalate. Let's hope that Danny brings Rondo in behind close doors, they sort everything out, and agree to a reasonable extension this summer.

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brain doc

This could be a brain doctor play. Rondo seems like the type that can get fired up to work his butt off if he is provoked. Everyone was loving Rondo after the playoffs, saying that he outplayed Rose, is a triple double machine, next big thing, etc.

by jdpapa3 on Jun 25, 2009 6:17 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

everyone should just stop yappin' to the media

Danny, Rondo, the agent, all should sit down and work this out over a six pack of Red Bull and be done with it

"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V

by Jeff Clark on Jun 25, 2009 6:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not good business

Really don’t like seeing this stuff leak into the media or onto the court (if it gets to that point). The media feeds off of things like this and they have the potential to make it even worse. It’s giving the media unneeded ammo that could have been easily avoided. The ‘how do you feel about the Celtics shopping you because of your attitude’ questions will come like rapid fire this season. Not every Boston organization can be the Patriots, but I really wish they were.

by BOSPORTS on Jun 25, 2009 7:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This story is getting out of proportion...

And I don’t like it at all. Hopefully Ainge says the truth when he says that Rondo won’t get traded, and hopefully by next year all this story will be forgotten after Rondo will be celebrating his second championship with the C’s.

by Drucci on Jun 25, 2009 6:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe is a good think

In this way: if you need to trade Rondo this is the wrong way. Other Gm are watching us…

by Jack_Frost on Jun 25, 2009 6:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Guards

Rondo has his faults. All players do. Ainge made objective comments about Rondo. Don’t see anything wrong with that. I’m sure it’s been mentioned before privately. We complain that Danny is obfuscatory. Now we complain he is candid. Can we just drop this and move on?

"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn

by TrueGreen on Jun 25, 2009 6:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

not looking good..

with these types of talks with the media.. Specially the agent is already talking.. Not good.. I hope DA turns this thing around..

Lets GO KELTICS!!!
BEAT LA!!!
"The Boston Celtics is not just a basketball team, it's a way of life" - William Fulton Russell

by pierced on Jun 25, 2009 6:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No way

should this be playing out in the press. If they are having problems with him then bring him in for a 1 on 1 and air it out. Rondo is their employee, and this is his job.

Hire him a shooting coach for the summer and spend some time daily working on it.

by Hondo on Jun 25, 2009 6:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The Cure

Ask KG to come to Boston for a day and bop Rondo on the head. Let Tommy give his agent a bop, a “Tommy Bop”.

"I don't come to play, I come to WIN"--Larry Bird
"Criminally Negligent Officiating"--Tommy Heinsohn

by TrueGreen on Jun 25, 2009 6:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

and while Danny's running him out of town, Rondo raises money for charity...

Looking unbothered by the swirling trade rumors, Celtic Rajon Rondo joined loads of others at Town Line Ten Pin in Malden for the "Bowling for Education’’ fund-raiser. The event raised over $80,000 for the Simon Youth Foundation.

http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2009/06/25/a_grand_night_at_the_garden/?page=2

by Pengaloo on Jun 25, 2009 7:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Trade Danny

Trade Danny…Trade Danny…Trade Danny…etc…………

by 420celticsFAN on Jun 25, 2009 7:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

foolish

Danny airing negative comments in the press (accuracy of the comments doesn’t matter) served no good purpose. Should have just denied the trade rumors, period. Nothing worse than an agent getting into a player’s head with the negativity and promoting/forcing a move on to a new location for major $.

by slamtheking on Jun 25, 2009 7:46 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Rondo's not being traded

I think Danny’s comments are just an indication that Rondo is not being traded. He wouldn’t make comments to lower his trade value in the midst of trade discussions. I believe the trade rumors for Rondo were meant to motivate, but got too hot, so Danny used this method to calm them down and hopefully still motivate Rondo.

by Pete C on Jun 25, 2009 9:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nothing New

It’s funny that people are concerned now about Danny’s comments. No one seemed to be upset with Doc “telling it like it is” regarding the team’s needs. Granted he didn’t name names, and he wasn’t talking about a starter, but nevertheless in Doc saying that we needed help at the one, three, and five also was an insult to the players supposedly there to play back up at those positions. I wasn’t happy about Doc saying those things, though people here were celebrating Doc’s frankness. And we forget also that the Cs have openly criticized BBDs play in terms of rebounding, rotations, as well as his emotions. Doc said, “they don’t call him Big Baby for nothing.”

So Rondo is not man enough to take public criticism, but others on the team can?

by amenhotep04 on Jun 25, 2009 9:05 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not really...

One, there’s a huge distinction between “naming names” and otherwise.

Second, what players did Doc offend at the 1,3,and 5? We don’t have a backup 5, our backup 3 was a rookie who barely played, and our backup 1 is a free agent who probably won’t be asked back. I think there’s a huge difference between talking about holes, and talking about a player on the roster.

That being said, by all accounts what Danny said was accurate. Rondo is going to need to learn to accept legitimate criticism if he’s going to mature and grow as a player.

All the negativity in this town sucks. It sucks, and it stinks, and it sucks. - Rick Pitino

by Roy_Hobbs on Jun 25, 2009 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thats all well and good

But Danny shouldn’t be talking about him this much in the media. He basically laid everything out, and now people are assuming Rondo is one step short of a locker room cancer. Meanwhile, Rondo hasn’t said anything to the media, he hasn’t fired back at Ainge or the rumors, and as ‘Pengaloo" said in a few spots above me, he’s actually doing charity work rather than brooding at his home. Ainge has taken it a bit too far, and you can’t deny that. I’m not saying that what Ainge said isn’t true, but taking it public was not the right idea. Already, people are assuming that Rondo is a bad teammate.

by misterx2day on Jun 25, 2009 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly what i said yesterday, Danny shooting himself in the foot.

Bingo!

by brianceltfan on Jun 25, 2009 9:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A big deal about nothing.

"Do you know that nonbelievers create the most positive energy?" Davis said

by Birdbrain on Jun 25, 2009 9:56 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Its just a matter of time now. Rondo will in a different city soon.

by garypayton on Jun 25, 2009 10:18 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Winning Right Now

Its interesting that Ainge noted that Rondo hurt us “right now”, said in other interview, he would only trade to help us win “right now”. No he would not trade Rondo because of the maturity issue, but he would trade Rondo for the right offer.

by Bozo on Jun 25, 2009 10:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Um, cry me, you know, a river

And spin me a win. Duffy doesn’t like it because it gives pause to would-be suitors to pay Rondo more. Unfortunately for him Ainge was saying things that are pretty plain (and damning in a relative sense). He’s just going to have to work harder to get his client a bigger contract.

Also, it’s not a stretch to think Ainge was speaking to the fans as much as the Rondo camp. You have to answer to the paying public at some point. With so many questions about Rondo, I don’t think a realistic, constructive assessment was a bad thing to get out there.

The fact Ainge asserted to Duffy that Rondo isn’t being traded says to me this is a whole lot of posturing about $$$.

by Berkcelt on Jun 25, 2009 10:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I doubt it

Do people really think that the fact that Rondo was late for team events twice in a season is going to make GMs shy away from Rondo? They all have nba players, they all see the same maturity issues in young players and they see what Rondo does for a team. Danny criticizing Rondo isn’t going to make it harder for Rondo to get a contract, it will just make it harder for the Celts to re-sign him.

by BballTim on Jun 25, 2009 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He can obviously get a contract, it just might not be as big as he was expecting. if there are questions (and let’s face it, for the most part there are, and they’re legitimate) then it’s going to be harder to get a max or near max deal. Ultimately it’s going to have little to do with Rondo being upset by Ainge’s comments, and mostly with who’s going to give him the biggest deal. If Ainge mentions that Rondo’s inability to shoot hurt the Celtics versus Orlando, I don’t see how that’s going to hurt any negotiations—especially because it’s true.

by Berkcelt on Jun 25, 2009 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think waht Ainge said is going to have much of an effect on Rondo’s contract offers if any. All the other GMs have seen Rondo play so Danny talking about Rondo’s shooting won’t sway people. I don’t think that anything Ainge said about Rondo’s attitude is anywhere near as big a deal as people are trying to make it into. The problem is that there are all of these rumors about Rondo and Danny addresses them. In effect, he’s singling Rondo out. If Danny had been asked about almost any player on the team, especially the younger players, he probably could have said similar things. Was Rondo the only person on the team that was ever late for anything? Is he the only player that the coaches have ever had an issue with? I doubt it. Is what Ainge said about Rondo so remarkably worse than what every other team has to deal with from young talented players? I doubt it,

by BballTim on Jun 25, 2009 12:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs