How Danny Ainge Can Keep Rajon Rondo Happy on the Boston Celtics

As the entire sports world found out on Thursday evening and into Friday when players hear they're going to be traded or are part of a trade, feelings can be hurt.

So what do the Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge do about Rajon Rondo?

The point guard, who is coming off the best season of his young career, has spent nearly every waking hour since the league announced it's intentions to begin play on Christmas Day 2012 dealing with trade rumors on the radio, the internet and in the papers.

Rondo has been saying all the right things publicly. Yesterday, he showed up at the first official day of Celtics training camp and seemed—for the most part—unfazed by the rumors swirling with regards to his present and future team.  

“No fuel. The fuel is to win a championship. I’m already fueled up," said Rondo in response to whether or not he was using the trade rumors to motivate himself. 

That's great for now but what if the rumors continue? 

They very well might. The season is still a full two weeks from starting and in spite of the massive controversy surrounding the league's disastrous handling of the three team trade that would have sent Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers, there seems to be very little let up in the flood of rumors surrounding potential trades, free agent signings and other types of transactions. 

When the season tips on Christmas Day, if Rondo emerges onto the court wearing his familiar Celtic Green, the Celtics are going to have to insure he stays focused. The trade rumors are unlikely to subside until the midseason trade deadline has passed. 

Of all the positions on the court the point guard requires the most focus. 

The Celtics best technique will actually be handed to them courtesy of the NBA Lockout. The frequency of the games. This season is going to feature a packed schedule with multiple back-to-back games and even a rare three in a row string from April 13-15. 

That hectic schedule means that regardless of Rondo's status as either a future lifelong Celtic fixture or a player who could be wearing a different uniform at any moment he has to keep his mind focused on the task at hand.

There will be often be another game tomorrow, there won't be as many practices and they're will be many less off days for the Celtics. Rivers and Ainge need to keep Rondo focused on the games and it's going to easier with them coming almost daily.

Then there's the franchise history angle. This one wouldn't work in Charlotte or New Orleans or Oklahoma City. When you're the starting point guard for the Boston Celtics you're following in the footsteps of some fairly impressive names. Bob Cousy, Tiny Archibald, Dennis Johnson, KC Jones, Jo Jo White. All of these guys have plaques in Springfield Massachusetts at the Basketball Hall Of Fame.

Ainge and Rivers ( who knows a few things about playing point himself) can and should remind Rondo of the unique position he's currently in and not worry about where he may or may not be next week, next month or next year.

After all the answer to all of those questions might be "starting point guard—Boston Celtics".