What's Next for Rajon Rondo Without Former Co-Stars Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett?
Rajon Rondo and the remaining Boston Celtics will need to regroup following the blockbuster trade of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett that drastically altered the identity of the franchise.
Doc Rivers had already left Boston to coach the Los Angeles Clippers. Now, Pierce and Garnett, Rondo's mentors, not to mention starting center and small forward, are headed to Brooklyn. Even that goofball Jason Terry with the big Celtics tattoo is gone.
The trio of Garnett, Rivers and Pierce had combined to spend 30 years in Boston. Deep loyalties develop when a group stays together that long with the amount of success they achieved.
For Celtics fans who grew up with Pierce always there, his departure will be the hardest to take. At some point the forward's Boston tenure had to come to an end, but that doesn't make it any easier swallow.
Now Rondo is left with a vastly changed locker room. There are only a few familiar faces remaining. 22-year-old Avery Bradley is now the second-longest tenured Boston Celtic on the roster, with three years of service.
How Rondo feels about all this is still unknown.
During the draft broadcast, there was an interview with new Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd and new Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers. However, there was no Celtics take. There is still no coach to turn to in this situation. The trust and admiration of Danny Ainge among fans is tenuous at best.
This is the spot for Rondo to step in. This is where a leader takes over and makes a statement. So, for now, we wait.
The overall trade according to ESPN the Magazine's Chris Broussard winds up looking like this:
Boston gets:
- First-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018. The 2014 pick will come from the Brooklyn Nets or Atlanta Hawks, whichever pick is worse.
- Right to swap first-round picks in 2017
- Gerald Wallace (three years, $30.3 million)
- Kris Humphries (one year, $12 million)
- Kris Joseph (one year, $800,000 - non-guaranteed)
- MarShon Brooks (three years, $6.9 million - non-guaranteed after first year)
- Keith Bogans (sign and trade)
Brooklyn gets:
- Kevin Garnett (two years, $24.4 million)
- Paul Pierce (one year, $15.3 million)
- Jason Terry (two years, $10.7 million)
Contract numbers via HoopsHype.com/salaries
Two of Rondo's new teammates were his main opponents in a brawl back in November. Both Humphries and Wallace will join the Celtics, unless Ainge is not done dealing.
If the brawl was just an isolated incident, then Humphries and Wallace are both serviceable NBA players, despite high salaries. Brooks offers another scorer off the bench as well. Rondo will also have two first-round picks to look forward to in next year's draft.
Boston is also acquired the No. 13 from the 2013 NBA Draft, Gonzaga's Kelly Olynyk. He gives Rondo a legit 7-footer who averaged 17.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last season.
Rondo has spent the past month or so attempting to re-brand himself as a lovable guy in the public eye. This trade will come as a shock to his system, but if he wants to continue transforming himself, he will have to accept it and move on.
Ainge has publicly shown support for his point guard in wake of the trade:
The GM has inserted pieces around Rondo to help him succeed. The team has gotten younger. Bradley and Green are running mates for a new style, and that was once the style in which Wallace excelled. Olynyk adds versatility up front, while Humphries adds a rebounding presence.
In one night, Ainge transformed an old, overpaid veteran team, into a feisty group of young underdogs. Once the trade is finalized, the roster will be flush with players under 30-years-old.
For those predicting an angry Rondo to turn in his best season yet, keep in mind that the point guard responded poorly following the trade of Kendrick Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2011. The team stumbled and Rondo was seen as mopey and depressed.
However, that was nearly three years. With those years comes perspective, and Rondo must use it to lead this new team.
