Since joining the team in early January, Jerryd Bayless has been in and out of the starting lineup, alternating between roles and seeing his duties shift from game to game.
Welcome to the 2013-14 Boston Celtics, Jerryd.
Whereas some players might get upset with such fluctuations, Bayless has taken the adjustments in stride, he blogged on his personal website on Friday. Bayless wrote that he is embracing his new, more versatile role and had positive things to say about the Celtics organization.
But he reserved his most glowing compliments for the man who is partially responsible for his ever-changing role: Rajon Rondo.
“I wasn’t here when (Paul) Pierce, (Kevin) Garnett and (Ray) Allen were, but it seems like transitioning to being a team leader has come pretty naturally for Rondo,” Bayless wrote. “I think he has been preparing for it for a long time, and it shows. He’s a great leader. He’s able to lead vocally and through his actions. When there’s something that needs to be said, he’ll say it, and he leads by example every day. He’s one of the first to the gym and one of the last to leave. He definitely surpassed anything I would have thought.”
Bayless went on to rave about Rondo’s intelligence (which is a trait the point guard is known for) and Rondo’s engaging personality (which is not). Because Rondo and fellow starter Avery Bradley have been in and out of the starting lineup, Bayless’ playing time and responsibilities have been inconsistent. He has started seven games with the Celtics, playing as many as 39 minutes in one game and as few as eight minutes in another.
Perhaps most interesting, Bayless also wrote that he hopes he and Rondo “can grow as teammates for a long time.” Bayless, who was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade for Courtney Lee on Jan. 7, is a free agent at the end of the season.
