Rondo might not be the typical go-to guy, Pierce insists, but that doesn’t mean the eighth-year point guard can’t break convention.
“Without question,” Pierce told Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. “I’ve already talked to Rajon; Rajon’s mature. People talk about the relationship with Doc [Rivers], and they probably had their best years over the last two years. So I don’t think that was a reason for Doc leaving. I’ve heard that, but that wasn’t a reason for Doc not coming back.
“Rondo is one of the best players in the league. He’s a guy who can be the face of a franchise. He’s won a championship, he’s been an All-Star. There’s a lot of organizations who don’t even have a face of that caliber.”
Pierce, who will make $15.3 million in the final year of the four-year, $61.3 million contract he signed in 2010, said previously that Rondo’s knee injury last season set off a “domino effect” that led to Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry being traded to Brooklyn after Rivers departed to coach the Clippers. A report last week indicated the Celtics are not trying to trade Rondo and that the team expects to see how he meshes with new coach Brad Stevens.