Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Rondo has an ally in Grousbeck, who told the Globe Wednesday that he “loved the guy.” Rondo is back from major knee surgery and he has shown flashes of his prior brilliance…
[…] “It means a lot, especially coming from the head guy,” Rondo said following the game. “With all the rumors swirling, the criticism that I was having throughout the past couple weeks, he stuck his neck out. He didn’t have to say anything, but he did. I’ve talked to Wyc since then. Everything is what it’s supposed to be.” […] “I mean, we had a dinner at the beginning of the year and Wyc expressed how he felt about me. I don’t think he’s a liar. I know he’s not a liar,” Rondo said. “He didn’t have to tell me anything. Him and I, we spoke, and what he said recently hasn’t changed.”
Globe: Rajon Rondo happy with support from ownership
Wyc gets it.
He has publicly supported Danny Ainge’s stance that Rondo is the guy for Boston unless a “Godfather” deal comes along. Meanwhile, he’s publicly backing his obviously frustrated point guard, who has endured another media blitz of sourced rumors and blowhard overreactions.
In short, everyone in the organization has Wyc’s full blessing so long as they’re doing their jobs to the fullest. You know what that’s called? Being a good businessman. His employees like working for him because he lets them do their jobs and he’s got their backs.
That’s how you get to be rich enough to own a team without inheriting it from daddy.
The public nod from Wyc is crucial for Rondo because if we’ve learned one thing about him, it’s that it takes a lot to earn Rondo’s trust. Time and time again, you’ve heard players, like his best friend Josh Smith, talk about how tight and small his inner circle is. None of us could crack it just by bumping into him at The Harp after a game and buying him Shirley Temples.
But Wyc has that trust thanks to an open and honest private discussion, and a public support of his star. When it comes time to negotiate with him next summer for an extension, that type of trust will help smooth over any potentially contentious moments. I’m not sure if Rondo will be in a “max deal or bust” kind of mood next July, but at least Wyc has a chance to lay out a sound financial argument that Rondo will listen to and understand.
If Rondo trusts Wyc not to bullshit him, and if he hears an argument for a hometown discount that makes sense and makes the team better, there’s an outside chance Rondo accepts a number more conducive to adding high-quality talent around him and building a champion with him as the captain.
I firmly believe that Rondo wants to win a title in Boston to prove to people that it wasn’t just Paul, Kevin, and Ray responsible for the last one. I think he feels a little short-sold for his role on that team, and he’s got a lot of voices in his head that he wants to silence. Taking less than the max, allowing the team a little extra wiggle room to bring in other stars (and signaling to those potential teammates that he really is doing all he can to win), and winning an 18th title would be the ultimate way to do that.
Is that a pie-in-the-sky scenario? Maybe. But there’s at least a sliver of possibility because of how Wyc treats Rondo, and how Rondo reacts to that. Without it, that scenario is totally impossible.
Related links: ESPN Boston: Rondo appreciates Wyc’s words | CSNNE: Rondo on ownership support: It means a lot | Herald: Rondo appreciates owner’s support | NESN: Rondo, Grousbeck share mutual admiration
And Finally…
Chris Forsberg tweeted this picture of Brad Stevens and the Butler Bulldog…. and I’ve never seen Brad so happy. Check out Butler Blue’s Flickr page for more awesome photos
The rest of the links
Herald: Celtics make things promising in defeat | Solar flare blinds Celtics | Globe: West not won as Celtics fall to Suns | Bradley makes return to Celtics lineup | CSNNE: Heinsohn: Olynyk is going to be a star | Celtics suffer team-wide collapse | Bradley makes solid cameo in return | ESPNBoston: #Chargewatch: Catching Wallace? | Notebook: Bradley’s return glimpse | Randolph “disappointed” after C’s release
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