Celtics' Ainge denies report that Rondo on trading block

NBA-the Boston Celtics are aggressively trying to trade point guard Rajon Rondo—a report

general manager Danny Ainge denied on Thursday.

Sources told ESPN's Chris Broussard that the team is actively pitching Rondo to teams

because they believe they are no longer title contenders and that Rondo's play doesn't

justify the problems he creates for coach Doc Rivers.

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That, Ainge and Rivers both said, is untrue.

"He's our best player, he's the most important part of our future," Ainge told Boston radio

station WEEI. "There's no way we're actively trying to trade Rondo. That make no sense, no

logical sense."

Ainge admitted he couldn't turn down an offer for Rondo that made the Celtics better, but

concluded, 'I've made zero calls to try to trade him, and I won't."

Ainge also said he had no concerns about Rondo's maturation process, and Rivers said their

relationship "is as strong as it has ever been."

"Our communication has never been better. I want him here,I can say with almost 100 percent

certainty he will be here with us when the season ends. I'm tired of this stuff. It's not

fair."

According to Broussard, Boston's front office continues to discuss a Rondo-for-Stephen Curry

trade, which was reportedly discussed in December before the Golden State Warriors pulled

the plug. Curry has since struggled with foot and ankle injuries, which ESPN says is a

factor in the Celtics' decision-making process.

Rondo, 25, is averaging 14.2 points, 9.6 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Celtics,

who are 17-17 and currently occupy seventh place in the Eastern Conference.

The report comes a day after Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski said the organization is

willing to break up the Big Three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen before the NBA

’s March 15 trade deadline.

"Boston is very active out there,” Wojnarowski said. “They're willing to trade any of that

Big Three if they can find a deal that helps them going forward with cap space, with draft

picks. (GM) Danny Ainge, (coach) Doc Rivers have determined internally, 'We are not

contenders, we are not going to win a championship this year.' And if the right deal comes

along for Pierce, Garnett or Ray Allen, they're gonna move them.”