During his weekly interview on Toucher and Rich, Danny Ainge elaborated yet again on Rajon Rondo’s decision to skip the team flight to Sacramento so he could party with his family in Los Angeles:
“What happened was he stayed in [Los Angeles],” said Ainge. “He let [head coach] Brad [Stevens] know and he let me know that he was going to stay in L.A. an extra day, and we didn’t think that he should. But it was his choice and (we told him) there may be consequences if you stay. It was that simple.”
“In the end, him and I had a long talk about it. He planned it before and he had reason to believe it would be OK,” explained Ainge. “I understand his reason because of what he’s grown up with and what he’s witnessed. You won’t see it happen again, and we’ve just moved on from it.”
“I think that now Rondo understands more clearly what we want out of him as a captain,” said Ainge. “That we want him on the road with the team, and his leadership on the bench is important whether he plays or doesn’t.”
A few observations:
Why the f- is Ainge still talking about this? Just dance around the question with the usual “We are looking forward, not back” nonsense and close the book already.
Couch it anyway you want, but Rondo defied the wishes of his coach and team president.
Ainge mentioned consequences but the team did not issue a fine or suspension (as far as we know). Is it possible that Ainge leaked this story because he knew the media would overreact thus making Rondo deal with the firestorm a consequence? Just a theory…
Whether you approve of Rondo’s actions or not, be aware that the team and management back him:
“Rondo is an emotional, stubborn kid. He’s very bright, and I don’t mind these kinds of emotions,” said Ainge. “What I care about is he a guy I want to play with, play for, if the guys on the team back him and want him on their side night-in and night-out. Those are the really important issues. Rondo is never going to become Tom Brady and say all the politically correct things and do everything we want him to do, but we still love him in spite of that because his teammates back him and want him on their side. They will go to war with Rondo, anytime.
File under: Rondo being a dink Rondo.
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