This is certainly not something that we had heard being a possibility.
Former Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo is surprisingly up for the head coaching job with the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans, per a report from Marc Stein.
Rondo did do some guest coaching with the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of the 2024-25 season, but he's never been a full time coach. That doesn't necessarily matter, as coaches like JJ Redick have taken jobs without a formal coaching background - and had success - but it's surprising to see Rondo linked to the job out of the blue.
Darvin Ham is also in consideration for the job. He formerly served as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Pelicans missed the playoffs this season after going 26-56.
About Rondo
Drafted No. 21 overall in the 2006 NBA Draft by the Phoenix Suns, Rondo spent nine seasons with the Celtics before also bouncing to the Lakers, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, Pelicans, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers.
He averaged 11.0 ppg in his tenure with the Celtics, also earning four All-Star appearances. He was a three-time assist champion, a two-time NBA champion, a four-time All-Defensive team selection and a steals champion. He won a title with the Celtics in 2007-08 as they beat the Lakers.
Why this could make sense
Rondo was one of the best point guards of his era, and point guards (almost always) serve as good leaders. Steve Nash, Avery Johnson and Jason Kidd are just a small number of examples of good point guards who became head coaches. Kidd is well-regarded in his current job with the Mavericks.
Boston Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen (20) center Jermaine O'Neal (7) guard Rajon Rondo (9) and forward Chris Wilcox (44) talk in the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace in 2012. Rick Osentoski-Imagn ImagesWhere the questions lie
In the lack of experience.
The Pelicans have been one of the least-successful franchises since coming into the league, and is Rondo really equipped to overcome that history? That's something that they'll need to figure out.
Also, since Rondo has never been a coach before, do we even know that he wants to do that job for 82 games a season, over and over?
Elsewhere for the Celtics
Game 4 of the first round series against the 76ers is Sunday night, and here's the information you need to know:
Game time: 7 p.m. ET
Game network: NBC Sports/Peacock
Game broadcasters: Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, Zora Stephenson
Betting line: Celtics -7.5 (DraftKings)
Celtics' storyline to watch: Can Derrick White start shooting better? The two-way standout is just 5-of-25 from three-point range in this series, and Boston will need him to shoot better if they want to advance to a third NBA Finals in the last five years.
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