Gotham, McCarty comment on Rajon rumors

Celtics team president Rich Gotham addressed the latest Rajon Rondo rumors while at a City Year/Harvard Pilgrim event this morning in Jamaica Plain. Via CSNNE:

“It was news to me,” Celtics president Rich Gotham told CSNNE.com during a break as one of the Celtics volunteers, along with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and City Year, participating in the service day at Hennigan Elementary School. “It [a trade request] has not been communicated to us by Rajon.”

Gotham added, “it’s more of an issue for the media than it is for us. We have a good sense of reality in relation to Rajon and all of our players. We don’t get caught up in the rumor mill or any of that stuff. What we focus on with Rajon is getting him ready to play. What we want to see is the Rajon rondo from 2011, 2012, back in his best form. That’s what gets us excited. When we talk to Rondo, that’s what we talk about. We’re not talking about trades.”

Walter McCarty chimed in, telling media members in attendance “it all starts with him” when talking about Rondo. He added that the Celtics “built this team around him” and that Rondo “understands” it all.

Obviously this team’s hopes of climbing out of the cellar hinge heavily on the captain and starting point guard, but it’s also pretty clear that if Danny Ainge thinks he can move Rajon for another franchise level player or players, he could very well pull the trigger. As much as I hate it, these Rondo rumors aren’t going anywhere, and will only heat up more as the trade deadline approaches later this winter. I’m just hoping this year’s squad is a bit more entertaining-but aren’t we all?