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There were rumors of Danny Ainge's interest in Isaiah Thomas this past summer, but the point guard confirmed those reports last night.
Green Street " Isaiah Thomas: ‘Danny Ainge was 1st person to call me’
"Danny Ainge was the first person to call me at 12:01 a.m.," Thomas said, "so if that’s interest, then I guess so." Thomas actually missed the call, but exchanged messages with Ainge before his agent Andy Miller took over negotiations. So, was the feeling mutual? "I was interested in whoever was interested in me," Thomas added, "so he was definitely a little interested if he was the first one to call me, but they went their ways and I went mine."
Hey, wait a minute. The Celtics already had Rajon Rondo and had just drafted Marcus Smart just days earlier. So what gives?
The obvious question is whether it was somehow linked to Rajon Rondo, whether as insurance for Rondo's impending free agency or as part of a possible sign-and-trade deal. Otherwise, the Celtics had no need for a ball-handler. They had Rondo under contract and had just drafted rookie point guard Marcus Smart.
I'm sure there are just a few people that know exactly what Danny Ainge had in mind when he made that call, but it is water under the bridge at this point. That time has passed and Rajon Rondo is with the Celtics and Isaiah Thomas is not.
I'm sure we'll see plenty of rumors and speculation regarding Rondo's future in Boston over the next few months, but for the time being he's here, he's playing great, and he's optimistic about this team's potential.
Rajon Rondo not discouraged by narrow losses - ESPN Boston
"I don’t think we’re down confidence-wise," Rondo said. "We’re a prideful team and we believe in each other. We have a lot of games that we believe we could have won, but those games are in the past. And we’re going to continue to move forward and get better." But how does this team go about winning close games? "It may just take one game," Rondo said. "We have a tough couple road games coming up, so we’ll start with that."