Rajon Rondo is expected to become one of the most frequent subjects of trade rumors this summer, and the talks about his future with the Boston Celtics has already started.
Recent reports indicated that the Celtics and the New York Knicks recently had a discussion about a trade involving Rondo, but Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge denied the alleged trade talks.
In an interview with the Boston Herald, Ainge called the Rondo-to-Knicks rumors as the "most ludicrous thing" he has ever heard, while also playing down reports that Rondo is "more available" this summer than before this season's trade deadline.
Ainge insisted that they are not planning to trade Rondo at this point, saying that all talks about the All-Star point guard are plain speculations brought by Rondo's impending free agency after the 2014-15 NBA season.
"That's all speculation," Ainge said. "Those aren't facts. People don't know that, so it's just people speculating on Rondo's free agency next summer. That's all that you're hearing. You're not hearing any facts from anybody. Those conversations haven't even been discussed, so that's just speculation."
Rondo, who averaged 11.7 points to go along with 9.8 assists and 5.5 rebounds in his return from an ACL injury, will become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2015.
The 28-year-old point guard has been mum about his future plans, insisting that he is focused with the Celtics, but analysts believe that Rondo is expecting changes this offseason.
Ainge said, though, that he is not feeling any pressure to make big moves this offseason in order to entice Rondo to stay with the Celtics beyond next season.
"We love Rondo, and Rondo loves us," Ainge said. "We don't feel like there's pressure that we have to do something or there's some sort of deadline that something has to get done by. You know, sure Rondo has to see progress and Rondo has to believe that we're going to be contenders and be in the picture and have something."
Ainge added that the Celtics will look to acquire big-name players this offseason, but it will all depend on what the team will get in the upcoming 2014 NBA Draft, which is considered as one of the deepest drafts in recent history.
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