Rajon Rondo: Opening Night Still a Possibility

The Boston Celtics are definitely a much improved team from last season, but they still aren’t expected to compete for a playoff spot in the much improved Eastern Conference. Rajon Rondo is still on the roster, but has been rumored in trade talks for the past couple of seasons. He has shown interest in remaining in Boston long-term if they can build a contender around him, but he does want a maximum contract extension.

Rondo broke his hand at home just a few weeks ago, and was expected to miss the start of the regular season. According to a report from Scott Souza, that might not end up being the case after all.

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Last season, Rondo missed a good chunk of the season due to recovery from a torn ACL that he suffered the season before. He came back and was able to put up a fairly impressive season, nearly averaging a double-double in points and assists. Boston did draft Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart this past offseason, which led many to believe that Rondo could be on his way out of town sooner rather than later.

At 28 years of age, Rondo is heading into the prime of his career. The Celtics desperately need him to come through with a huge season if they want to make a run at a playoff seed. It will be very intriguing to see how Rondo is handled this year, and if they decide to go ahead and shop him around the league aggressively if they aren’t competing at the trade deadline.

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Needless to say, there are plenty of teams around the NBA that could use a point guard like Rondo. The Celtics will ask Rondo to be a leader this season, and also help mentor Smart. Boston may end up replacing Rondo with Smart sooner rather than later, but there is also a good chance that they could play him as a combo guard off the bench.

This news is definitely good to hear for the Celtics, and it would be even better if he can end up playing on opening night. Boston is very excited about the upcoming season, and they will begin taking steps forward after a very rough season last year. Rondo may not end up with the Celtics for the entire season, but he will be a huge part of it while he is on the roster.