Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo’s much-publicized decision to remain in Los Angeles last month rather than travel with the team to Sacramento seems to have arisen from miscommunication.
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in an interview Wednesday with 98.5 The Sports Hub that Rondo did inform him and coach Brad Stevens beforehand of his intentions to skip the trip.
“He let Brad know and he let me know that he was going to stay in L.A. an extra day,” Ainge said, via ESPN.com. “We didn’t think that he should but (told him), ‘It’s your choice and there may be consequences if you stay.’ It’s that simple.”
Ainge said he understands such actions might have been acceptable under former Celtics coach Doc Rivers (Kevin Garnett often would not watch from the bench during games he was not playing in, for example). After speaking with Rondo, though, Ainge said he is confident he and the point guard are now on the same page.
“In the end, him and I had a long talk about it. This was all happening over the phone,” Ainge said. “He had planned it before, and he had reason (to) believe that it would be OK. I understand his reason to believe based on where he’s been and what he’s grown up with and what he’s seen and witnessed. You won’t see it happen again, and we’ve just moved on from it.”
Rondo has played in all three of the Celtics’ games since missing the matchup in Sacramento.
