One piece of information that has not come out during the alive/dead/alive/dead Celtics-Clippers trade talks is Rivers’ motivation in wanting to leave the Celtics.
It isn’t just that he doesn’t want to be a part of a rebuilding situation; it is because he has an intense dislike for point guard Rajon Rondo.
A source close to the Celtics tells Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com that Rondo dropped an F-bomb on Rivers in the locker room during a team meeting, and Rivers went after Rondo and tried to fight him before the fracas was broken up.
(RELATED: PETER MAY COLUMN: WHAT IS UP, DOC?)
More details on that piece of news are revealed in this interview with Bill Lekas of SiriusMadDog Radio.
Listen to internet radio with Sheridan Hoops Radio on BlogTalkRadio
this sounds like one those “make-believe” stories from the media..I remember during the season when the media reported that Kobe and Dwight was close to fighting in the lockerroom only to find out later on that it was all fun and games..I think this a complete sham by the media to try create something out of nothing..Which they are very good at.
I agree.
“The Media”? Chris Sheridan is now “The Media”. Listen to yourselves.
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Yeah, right. Sheridan has been begging media outlets to appear on their shows. As if one Skip Bayless making it all about himself isn’t enough. Ooh, telling every interviewer that Popovich was the guy that lost the series for San Antonio. Ooh, controversial.
And now, he’s tossing out more Bayless-like LOOK AT ME! crap to stir up the pot, this time about Rondo. So what if (if it really happened), a player and a head coach got testy at each other. This is unique? So did Bird, McHale and Ainge with Fitch. The only difference is back then, there was no Bayless or Sheridan around to toot their own horns in a very competitive inflammatory egomaniacal digital environment.
Hey, guess what. After six consecutive playoff appearances, Rivers believes he’s paid his dues and doesn’t want ulcers by coaching a lottery team again. Obviously. That’s it. But Chris Bayless…uh, I mean Chris Sheridan would rather make it all about Chris Sheridan.
Doc also could not get along with T-Mac, but every time Jeff van Gundy talks about him says how great he was Houston and how he deserves to be in Hall of Fame. Just saying.
Why is so much getting leaked? Stories like that don’t help Rondo’s trade value…
This is just stupid Chris. This is all you have as to why Rivers would hate Rondo? Because of a silly F-bomb and a small blowup? And the Celtics not being able to trade Rondo is just silly.
Yes apparently, it is has nothing to do with Doc wanting to leave Boston to get another ring, or not wanting to be a part of a Celtic rebuild. Please.
Fact: Celtics have been trying to trade Rondo for past 2 years. Many NBA teams don’t want the headache.
Pacers voiced interest in wanting him and made offers so Cs did not try hard. Also, Kobe voiced interest in playing with him. If it was that bad you would trade him role players and second round picks. Seem completely ridiculous that none of the 29 nba teams would want him. I guess no team will offer cousins a contract either. Just seems absurd. Doc is chasing a ring and blaming rondo.
Chris didn’t say that no one wanted Rondo, but if you are Danny Ainge, you would want to bring back All Star talent and have a replacement PG. Hence, Ainge was after Bledsoe, which failed.
But if he was that bad you do not think Ainge would take a couple role players? If he wanted to move him when they didn’t get Paul why not just do a deal with Indy? Why now wouldn’t you facilitate any trade to ensure doc stays?
What are you talking about, Cyrus. Boston’s team is going to be almost nothing but role players. So why accumulate some more. And if they’re going to be in the lottery for the next few years, then why would Ainge care if Doc Rivers is the head coach or Dr. J is the head coach or Dr. Bones McCoy is the head coach together with his top assistant Mr. Spock.
Must be terrible to have an all star pg who lead the league in assists for two years. Also terrible to have someone who would play two OTs with a torn acl.
Fact: You’ve got to give up something to get something. Who has more staying power in the league, somebody who is in their mid-20s or somebody who is in their mid-30s. Who has a more attractive contract, somebody worth max money that isn’t making close to max money, or a 30-something being paid like Donald Trump.
Right on. Rondo was going to be an all star starting pg this year and he only makes half what rose, Williams, and paul will. If they cannot trade him, it probably has more to do with his reasonable contract. You are not going to get an all star for 11 million.
Sorry, but this story needs a point of reference. When did this happen? I just find it hard to believe. If there relationship is in this much disarray, wouldn’t Danny have pulled the trigger on trading Rondo, even if for only 60-70 cents on the dollar instead of letting Doc and KG force their way out? And the notion that no NBA team in the league wants him seems absurd. I am from Indiana, and I know for fact that Larry Bird really wanted to bring Rondo to Indy. Larry wanted to facilitate the 3 way trade to bring Paul to Boston, Rondo to Indy, and several young players to New Orleans. Furthermore, Kobe said he would love to play with him. I think you need to tone your language down on Doc hating Rondo and no one in the league wanting him. Seems like a “source” leaked this to get posturing for Doc – that way if he retires or leaves he can blame Rondo for ring chasing.
Completely agree. Doc is ring chasing just like Ray so let’s blame the terrible Rondo for leaving. Why would Doc say last year when trade rumors surfaced that he wants Rondo in Boston, why would he almost tear up saying how “wonderful” Rondo was in 2012 playoffs, and why would he be hugging him down the tunnel when Rondo came back from tearing his acl – if he severely dislikes him. And so true, Danny would have traded him for draft picks if he had to. At this point, Rondo should just force his way out and say please do trade me. He is just the excuse or scapegoat anytime something goes wrong in Boston. We all knew he threw the water bottle at the TV screen in a meeting. But that was several years back and everyone says their relationship improved every year. This all seems ridiculous.
True. Vividly remember before the start of the 2011-2012 season that Larry Bird contacted the Cs to facilitate 3 way trade. The only reason deal reportedly fell through was because the Hornets did not like what the Pacers were offering (if I remember correctly they offered up everything but George and Hibbert). Too bad. Can you imagine how competitive a Pacer team with Rondo, Hill, George, West, and Hibbert would be! Rondo just ask for a trade and come to Indy!
Celtics never wanted this story out there because it would diminish Rondo’s trade value. They are not happy that it is out there now because it weakens their side in future trade talks. But you can be damn sure that if Garnett and Pierce go, next bomb to drop in rebuilding is a Rondo trade.
Why trade him if Doc, Kg, and PP are gone? What is the point? Why did KG resign last summer if it was so bad? So Doc faked consoling rondo in a tunnel? Why would Wyc Grousbeck say he sees AB, rondo, and sully there in 5 years if situation is so bad.
Yeah, right, Sheridan. As if the other 29 front offices are completely oblivious to who Rondo is and how abrasive he can be. Yes, what a scoop you’ve got there, Sheridan.
This is a quote from him regarding if he’s tough to coach. His quote is over 2 YEARS old. Read between the lines: “I still am. It’s not that I’m hard to coach, it’s just that I may challenge what you say. I know the game myself, I’m out there playing the game. So I may have saw something different versus what you saw from the sideline. I’m going to be respectable. I’m going to let the coach talk.”
Other teams surely understood that Rondo could prove petulant and truculent, and that at times, tension existed between him and Rivers. But other teams may not have realized the depth of the problems and just how poisonous the relationship had become. I’m sure that Mr. Sheridan is correct to say that the Celtics indeed did not want this type of story to come out, for it could only depress Rondo’s trade value. In short, there’s a difference between someone who is somewhat problematic and someone who constitutes a full-fledged problem.
I think it may be a little extreme to say that Doc has an intense dislike for Rondo. After all, Rondo is Doc Rivers but on the floor, and the two have to have a very close relationship and understanding of each other for Rondo to always be on the same page with Doc. I’m sure any team has locker room incidents, and I’m sure they just brushed it off and got on with their season.
Agree. Is this the first time a coach and player have had a problem? Unfortunately, for Rondo it seems that the media has a strong dislike for him.
“for Rondo to always be on the same page with Doc.”
Uh … no, they often have not been on the same page. They have frequently clashed, as Rivers has admitted that Rondo tends to have his own ideas about how to do things.