For all the past indignities real or imagined Rondo was the issue that hadnt gone away, that would still be there come training camp. They dont like each other, and it had become a bigger and bigger drag on Allen, sources said. Each had culpability for why things had gone awry, and yet each was better on the court because he had played with the other.
Rondo has had a polarizing impact within the Celtics' locker room, and his relationships with teammates and coaches have fluctuated over the years. Allen and Rondo never had arguments this year, never got into it. In fact, one source said: "Ray mostly ignored him." After the season, Rivers tried his best to mend the relationship between Rondo and Allen make it manageable on some level. And yet, as one source with direct knowledge of the coachs efforts said, the relationship was "too far gone."
Whatever the issues, everyone agreed: Rondo and Allen never brought them onto the floor. They played together, played well, but Allen had grown increasingly disillusioned about dealing with the disconnect. The friction started in the 2009-10 season, after Rondo signed his five-year, $55 million extension, sources said. It wouldnt be long until Allen started to hear his name in trade talks, and he began to make the correlation that Rondos salary played a part in the Celtics looking to trim payroll starting with Allen.
"Ray is prideful," one source said, "and he was always wondering: 'Why do I have to be that guy?' "
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Those were some of the conflicts that Allen had with Rondo, but the stubbornness of the point guard worked to exacerbate everything. Rondo and Allen were non-confrontational, but much of the behind-the-back sniping to teammates and those around the team took a toll. So much of it was sandbox stuff, the kind of grating, ultimately petty issues that occur in every locker room, every workplace. Rondo didnt chase Allen out of Boston, but their relationship did become a drain in the locker room. Their cold war was something Allen discussed with associates, something that became a concern of management and the coaching staff.
Allen and Rajon Rondo didn't openly feud, but their relationship had deteriorated. (Reuters)
"When it comes to basketball, Rondo is the smartest player on the team one of the smartest players in the league," one locker-room source said. "And Ray considers himself a smart guy. But at some point, it became hard for Ray to be corrected by a guy so much younger than him."
No one ever blamed Rondo, and no one blamed Allen for it. This happens in sports, happens everywhere. As one staff member said: "In a lot of ways, theyre polar opposites. Ray is a military child, has the ultimate respect for authority. He does everything hard every day. Rondos different. Hes a free spirit. Hes unbelievably bright. But when Ray is taking everything seriously, Rajon can be lackadaisical. Doc has done a tremendous job coaching him, and he's gotten better every year but theres still a big difference between them."
Some believe it was pure jealousy on Allen's part, too, that he had blame for the disconnect. Within the Big Three, they teased Allen for his political nature. Whereas Rondo, Pierce and Garnett would speak in brutal, honest terms, Allen was forever measured, even. He was a military child, a relentless worker, a player who found great comfort in the daily routine of his shooting and conditioning. Yet eventually Rondos greatness expanded the Big Three to the Big Four, and Allens next contracts with the Celtics were paid on a different scale than Rondo, Garnett and Pierce.