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So where one general manager shook his head and said, “Oh, they’re screwed,” another stated strongly, “As long as you have assets, you’re never screwed. The Celtics have players that other teams want. They’ve also got some guys that would be really hard to move, but when you’re talking about Rajon Rondo and even (Paul) Pierce and (Kevin) Garnett, those are people who can make a team better. Now the question then becomes who you can get back for them and will those new guys make the Celtics better.” One GM asked about Rondo said, “I haven’t heard his name being put out there like I have in the past, but if they’re ever going to try to overhaul that team, they’re going to have to at least be willing to discuss him (in trades). The thing is, with Rondo coming off an ACL (tear), teams will be looking to get a bargain, and Boston can’t go there. They’re better off letting him come back and show everyone what he can do again.” Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Trade, Rajon Rondo 

Manning critiqued Felton’s technique on each shot, watching his elbow, his shoulders and his release. A former assistant for the Harlem Globetrotters, Manning is in demand as a shooting specialist. He has worked with the N.B.A. players Ty Lawson, Rajon Rondo and Jerry Stackhouse. New York Times

Rajon Rondo, Raymond Felton, Jerry Stackhouse, Ty Lawson, Ivorie Manning 

No matter how much the Celtics personnel chief will again insist that he’s not looking to trade Rajon Rondo, he will once again be on alert in case a deal makes sense. Boston Herald

Boston Celtics, Trade, Rajon Rondo 

Rondo is expected to return sometime early next season but his rehabilitation is in the early stages after tearing the ACL on Jan. 25 at Atlanta. "I like to compete, I want to play but I'm fine where I'm at right now," he said before Game 4. "I'm just trying to support my teammates. That's all I can do and that's what I am going to do. I've been watching for four months now, it's hard sitting on the sideline watching. Can't do anything about it." Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Injuries 

Rondo underwent surgery on Feb. 13 and said it's a six- to 12-month window to return. "Every ACL surgery they say you can start running in about four to six months (after surgery)," he said. "I think that's when I'll start running. That's in the textbook of ACL rehab. I don't know how long training camp is far from my surgery. I get in between six to 12 months." Boston Globe

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Injuries 

Ben Rohrbach: Doc adds on Rondo: "He absolutely has a great value sitting around, b/c he's a PG. Helps guards, coaches. He's been very, very good for us." Twitter @brohrbach

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Rajon Rondo 

Rajon Rondo is with the team for the start of the playoffs. Rivers is happy to have him along, noting, "I want him around. He’s a good mind. He’s a great, great mind. And he knows the game. He’s a smart kid. People have no idea his IQ, they really don’t. It’s funny right now, even after our shootaround, he’s into it." Rondo had previously planned to join the team on Friday, but couldn't get out until the manhunt ended around Boston. ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Rajon Rondo 

Chris Forsberg: Doc happy to have Rondo along for start of playoffs. Can he help? Rivers: “I always tell if he wasn’t so crazy, he’d be a great coach.” Twitter @ESPNForsberg

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Rajon Rondo 

In his first public comments since undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee, Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo told ESPN's Hannah Storm that it's "frustrating" not to be on the floor with his teammates, but he has come to accept the situation. "I'm in a place now where I am OK with it," Rondo told Storm in a sit-down interview that will air on ESPN2 at 9 p.m. ET on April 18. "I know this is my main focus, getting healthy." ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Injuries 

Rondo tore the ACL on Jan. 25 against the Atlanta Hawks. He didn't think the injury was serious at the time. "I didn't hear a pop. ... I thought I could play through it," he told Storm. ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Injuries 

"When I got out of surgery, for three to four weeks nobody said anything about when I'll be back, or when I'll be able to play. They just wanted me to take it one week at a time and just see how I progress from there," he told Storm. "Everybody's body is different. Everybody plays the game differently. An injury like this varies." ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Injuries 

Rajon Rondo On the actual play that resulted in the season-ending injury: I jumped up and made a pass, I didn’t hear a pop. I just thought when I came down, that I came down too early. Thought I hyperextended my leg, thought I could play through it and didn’t think it was a season-ending injury. beyondthebuzzer.com

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Injuries 

On what transpired 30 minutes prior to tip-off with the Heat: I wanted to play against the Heat that day, that Sunday, and I thought I was playing. But until like maybe 30 minutes on the clock, you know, I did my ritual, my routine and I got in the shower and something was telling me this doesn’t feeling right. On leaving from the MRI and hearing the results on the radio: So, on a Sunday the hospital was closed, but I went and got an MRI. And on the way back, I heard on the radio, they were like ‘Rondo may have a torn ACL,’ I’m like, ‘How does he know it…we just got the results, there’s no way possible…’ I had just left the hospital and just got the results. beyondthebuzzer.com

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Injuries 

With a heavy brace on his right knee, Rondo was coy when asked about his recovery. "I'm able to walk," he said. Upon being asked what he is able to do on the basketball court, he replied, "I'm able to walk." CSNNE.com

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Injuries 

Rondo is able to do more than just walk, though. He took shots on the parquet before the Celtics game against the Detroit Pistons dressed in a long-sleeve shirt, shorts, and a pair of Nike low tops. The point guard first took one-handed shots with his right hand, jumping just slightly but never putting pressure on his right foot upon landing. He then took two-handed shots without elevating. CSNNE.com

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Injuries 

McDonough wasn’t alone in his admiration. Wallace was a fan, as was Ainge, but McDonough remained solidly in Rondo’s corner even as he struggled through a disappointing sophomore season, rating him the second-best prospect in the draft. "While the rest of the world sort of dropped on Rondo, Ryan continued to evaluate him even higher," says Ainge. "Ryan was pushing very, very hard for Rajon. Ryan was very big in us having that strong of a desire for Rajon." SB Nation

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Statistics, Ryan McDonough 

Floated that scenario during a call to Boston sports radio WBZ-FM (98.5 the SportsHub), Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge brushed off the suggestion while stressing how much the team likes the Rondo-Avery Bradley backcourt combination moving forward. "I don’t know what you're insinuating, because Avery is not Rondo and Avery can also play 2 guard with Rondo and those guys have been extremely effective together," said Ainge. "I know that we haven’t had them together much this year and I think that Rajon loves playing with Avery Bradley, for a lot of different reasons. I think that combination last year proved to be spectacular, they just did’t get a chance to get together much this year, so it's a little bit unfair." ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Trade, Rajon Rondo, Danny Ainge, Avery Bradley 

Later, Ainge was asked more directly if he'd ponder trading Rondo or Bradley in the offseason given the way his team has performed. "I can’t envision any scenario, no," said Ainge. "I love those guys, where Rondo is right in the prime of his career, and Avery's not even there yet, he's continuing to get better. I think they are a great guard combination and to ever consider doing something like that, it would have to be something significant." ESPN.com

Boston Celtics, Trade, Rajon Rondo, Danny Ainge, Avery Bradley 

Steve Bulpett: Ainge says Rondo rehabbing twice a day, should be back in Boston in two weeks. Twitter @SteveBHoop

Boston Celtics, Rajon Rondo, Injuries 

Few know better than Perkins the road that lies ahead for Rondo, who is out for the season with a torn right ACL injury - the same injury that Perkins' suffered during the 2010 NBA Finals. "My biggest thing with him," Perkins told CSNNE.com, "I'm not worried about whether he'll put the work in to get back on the court. I just don't want him to have a mental breakdown." As Perkins recalls, overcoming the mental hurdles of such a devastating injury is far tougher than the physical regimen needed to recover. He remembers a number of days during his rehabilitation process where he felt like giving in to self-doubt. "It gets to that point, if you don't have somebody in your ear, to encourage you. That's real talk," Perkins said. CSNNE.com

Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins, Injuries