National Basketball Association

Ainge: Is Rondo 'a good enough player to behave the way he does?'

Published Apr. 9, 2015 2:29 p.m. ET

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Rajon Rondo has a reputation for being one of the most difficult players in the NBA to coach. Some even believe he is one of the main reasons Doc Rivers chose to leave Boston. No matter how well he plays, that reputation continues to follow Rondo wherever he goes.

One person who knows Rondo very well is Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. In a lengthy feature about Rondo that was written by ESPN.com’s Baxter Holmes, Ainge spoke about the veteran point guard.

“He doesn’t like to be told what to do,” Ainge said. “He wants to be coached, but when you coach him, you’d better know what you’re talking about. And even then, he still may challenge you. The question always was, 'Is he a good enough player to behave the way he does?'"

Ainge is not the first person to raise that question. Rondo is among the best point guards in the league, but he has arguably the biggest ego. Unlike Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul, he’s not really capable of carrying a team without a lot of help. Had it not been for Ainge assembling the Big Three, you have to wonder what Rondo’s legacy would look like.

The entire piece from Holmes is worth reading. It includes insight from former coaches and teammates and provides a better understanding of who Rondo is — beyond the guy who has exploded on coaches before and is one of the best passers in the game.

“He always thinks he’s the smartest person in the room, even if he isn’t,” one Celtics insider told Holmes.

Rondo and Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle seem to be getting along better as of late, which will still be important heading into the playoffs. Will it be enough to inspire him to stay in Dallas, or for the Mavs to want to keep him? We wouldn’t be surprised either way.

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