Stevens: Rondo Trade 'Great Opportunity' For Young Celtics To Step Up Leadership
BOSTON (CBS) -- Thursday night was not an easy night for Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens.
The Celtics traded Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks, ending months (years, even) of trade rumors surrounding the All Star point guard.
"Obviously this is one of the hard parts about this job, and being in professional sports in general," Stevens told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Gresh & Zolak on Friday afternoon. "It was tough last night; I met with Rondo about 7:30pm when everything was being finalized and just thanked him for everything he's done for me and all that he's done here."
Stevens did not get Rondo's reaction to being traded, but wished him well in his new opportunity.
"I think he's going to a team that he will fit in great with, and that obviously has a chance to do something really special. I don't want to speak for him at all, but it was certainly, as it is when anybody leaves the building, it's an emotional moment," said Stevens. "He did tell me how much he loved being here and he was really cordial in that regard. He certainly looked upon the next step with Dallas as a great opportunity as well."
Rondo was named the team's captain prior to last season, and was the only remaining piece of Boston's 2008 NBA Championship team. But Stevens said his team still has plenty of leaders, even if none of them officially own the title of captain.
"I think you always have leaders, sometimes they have a captains title and sometimes they don't. We have a number of guys who do a very good job mentoring the younger guys, and Gerald [Wallace] really comes to mind. They don't have that title, but they're leaders in our locker room," he said. "Certainly Rondo was one as well, and I think this move creates the need for some of our younger players, who are young by NBA standards but not young by our team standards, to really take that ownership; to almost be a sounding board and a voice that is older than their years. It's a great opportunity for them in that regard."
Stevens said he talked about the trade with the team at Friday's morning shoot around, but it was a normal day of work following the discussion.
"What we had to do today when we came and shot around, we talked about what we had to do moving forward. We also talked about being thankful for all Rondo did for our team, and for all those guys in that locker room," he said. "Moving forward now without him, we have to take a little more ownership, each of us."
Stevens said the players acquired from the Mavericks -- center Brandan Wright, point guard Jameer Nelson and forward Jae Crowder -- will not suit up for Boston Friday night when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves at the TD Garden.
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