Rajon Rondo and the Celtics have reportedly agreed to an extension that will keep the 23-year-old in Boston for the next five years.
Yahoo Sports reports that the two sides agreed on a deal early Monday, which was the deadline for a deal to be made.
The deal is worth $55 million over the five years, matching Rondo's requests that Danny Ainge and the Celtics previously weren't willing to offer.
"As much as we were willing to wait his contract out, the Celtics stepped up to the plate to meet the original request," Bill Duffy, Rondo's agent, told Yahoo. "This is a really fair contract. We wanted him to be paid like one of the top five point guards around. It also allows the Celtics to maintain continuity to continue to be one of the best teams at this time."
Earlier in October, head coach Doc Rivers said he expected Rondo to be a lifetime Celtic. As recently as last week, however, the Celtics were reportedly only willing to offer Rondo a four-year extension worth $9 million per season. Talks then broke off and were rekindled before the NBA pushed the deadline from Saturday night to Monday. When Duffy called Ainge on Monday, he said Rondo was prepared to play the rest of the season and become a restricted free agent, according to the Yahoo report. That's when Ainge "surprised" Duffy with the five-year, $55 million extension.
Duffy told Yahoo that the Celtics' uncertainty about Rondo's maturity no longer exists.
"The relationship between Rajon and the Celtics is on the highest
level on and off the court," Duffy said. "It’s a strong bond right now.
Any concerns they had relative to this approach are no longer."
In four games this season, Rondo is averaging 11.8 assists, 6.5 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Rondo is now the only player signed through 2012-13 and beyond. Ray Allen's contract expires at the end of this season, Paul Pierce has a player option for next season ($21.5 million), Kevin Garnett's contract expires after the 2011-12 season, as does that of Rasheed Wallace. Center Kendrick Perkins is set to become a free agent after the 2010-11 season and very well could be the next target for Ainge and the Celtics to lock down a contract.
