Rajon Rondo Refutes Carmelo Anthony Recruitment Report

Perhaps you didn’t hear over the decibel-crushing sound of Stephen A. Smith, but the Knicks were looking into dealing Iman Shumpert for Rajon Rondo. Now — after Carmelo Anthony and Rondo’s former high school coach, Steve Smith, told USA Today Anthony was recruiting Rondo to New York — Rondo has denied the assertion.

‘Melo and Rondo’s high school coach told USA Today, (by way of the New York Post) “Whether he stays in Boston or not, who knows. I know, talking to Melo, he’s recruiting Rajon to come to New York…Melo thinks he’ll come too. You never know about that stuff though. I think either way, Rajon will be fine.”

When the Post asked ‘Melo about Smith’s comments, he replied, “C’mon, man. In my book, that’s tampering.”

Now Rondo is setting the record straight, too, telling the Boston Globe‘s Gary Washburn it hasn’t been discussed:

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Rondo will become a free agent in the summer of 2015, when the Knicks may have the cap space to actually sign him, but for now he’s recovering from the torn ACL in his right knee. Rondo is set to meet with the orthopedic surgeon, Dr. James Andrews, who performed the surgery on Rondo’s knee back in February, some time in the next 10-14 days.

Rondo spoke with Baxter Holmes at the Globe about his recovering process:

“I’ve been anxious ever since I hurt myself,” Rondo said after the Celtics’ morning shootaround at Baruch College before the team faces the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night. “It’s a long process. Some days are better than others, but I’m patient and I’m not going to rush.”

He hasn’t done much to test his right knee lately beyond running and some agility drills.

“I’m confident, but like I said, I haven’t practiced or anything so it’s hard to say,” Rondo said. “One-on-one is different from actually going through picks and hitting the floor, playing 5-on-5, getting back in transition, making the quick moves without thinking about it. I haven’t done any of that.”

With the Celtics leading the awful Atlantic Division in Rondo’s absence, while head coach Brad Stevens makes the case for a possible COY nomination, there’s no rush on Rondo’s return to the court. In fact, we’re pretty sure GM Danny Ainge is cautioning Rondo to convalesce at a snail’s pace in an attempt to get back to the tanking ethos many had predicted for the rebuilding Celtics on the precipice of that sexy 2014 Draft.

Will Rondo come to New York to play with ‘Melo?

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