Rondo Calls Ainge's Bluff and Gets 55 Million for Five Years

Rondo Calls Ainge’s Bluff and Gets 55 Million for Five Years
November 2, 2009 by Nick Gelso

Rondo: I’ll See Your bet Danny and raise ya’…

When I saw Reds Army’s tweet come across my TweetDeck at 6:30 am, I choked on my coffee a little and a big smile came across my face.

RedsArmy: Great news to wake up to RT @WojYahooNBA: Y! Sports’ Marc Spears: C’s, Rondo agree to $55 mil contract extension. http://tinyurl.com/ydrb736

Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports is reporting that Rondo has signed a 5 year, 55 million dollar contract extension.

Yahoo sports :

League sources said the extension is for five years and guarantees Rondo at least $55 million. With the two sides facing a Monday deadline to get a deal done, Duffy said he called Celtics president Danny Ainge on Sunday to inform him Rondo was prepared to play out his contract and become a restricted free agent next summer because they weren’t satisfied with the team’s previous offers. Ainge, however, surprised Duffy by responding that Rondo’s contract hopes would be met.

“As much as we were willing to wait his contract out, the Celtics stepped up to the plate to meet the original request,” Duffy said by phone. “This is a really fair contract. We wanted him to be paid like one of the top five point guards around. It also allows the Celtics to maintain continuity to continue to be one of the best teams at this time.”

It’s clear to me that Danny Ainge was playing poker with Rondo. The point guard called Ainge’s bluff and Danny folded without rebuttal. This tells me Danny was prepared all along to accept Rajon’s financial demands.

Well, we’ve survived the Kevin Garnett Tendon-gate, Big Baby shopping us, Rondo and Ray Allen trade rumors and now Rondo getting his extension. Rondo demanded “top point guard money” and he got it. He was very well consulted by his agent as he had all the right answers and comments to the media leading up to the extension deal being made. The speculation over his future in green can now come to an end, Rondo will be a Celtics for (at least) five more years.

Now we can get back to scrutinizing his jump shot.