Paul Pierce and Ray Allen buried their long-standing beef last year, but it doesn't appear Rajon Rondo is ready for a reconciliation.
Ahead of Sunday's game between the Pelicans and Celtics, Rondo addressed the excerpts from Allen's new book, "From the Outside: My Journey through Life and the Game I Love," due out March 27. In Allen's book, co-authored with Michael Arkush, the former sharpshooter details his NBA life, including all of the drama that unfolded in Boston with the members of the 2008 championship team — specifically the deterioration of his relationship with Rondo. The current Pelicans point guard had something to say about that.
MORE: Allen details intense battles with Rondo in new book
"[Allen] just wants attention," Rondo told The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn. "I need actually some sales from [the book], only [publicity] it’s been getting is from my name. I need some percentage or something. His people contact my people or something. The only pub I’ve been hearing about is when he mentions my name."
In the book, Allen seems unsure about when or why his friendship with Rondo began to fall apart, saying that near the end of his time with the Celtics "Rondo would not even throw the ball to me." Allen claims Rondo told teammates during the 2010-11 season he "carried" the Celtics to the 2008 championship, a huge piece of revisionist history. Rondo also claimed Allen was jealous of him, according to Allen's recollection.
"Obviously that man is hurting," Rondo said. "I don’t know if it’s financially, I don’t know if it’s mentally. He wants to stay relevant. I am who I am. I don’t try to be something I’m not. I can’t say the same for him. He’s looking for attention. I’m a better human being than that. I take accountability for my actions. Certain [stuff] happens in my life, I man up. But he has a whole other agenda."
It's fascinating to see these relationships play out publicly more than a decade after Boston's "Big Three" of Pierce, Allen and Kevin Garnett came together with Rondo running the point. The tension goes back to Allen's departure in 2012 when he joined LeBron James and the rival Heat as a free agent, capturing his second ring after an incredible 2013 NBA Finals series. Pierce has clearly moved past any issues he had with Allen, but Garnett and Rondo aren't on the same page.
For what it's worth, Rondo says he doesn't have any problems with Allen and would be willing to speak with him "man-to-man." Still, Rondo's words probably won't help mend fences in this situation.
"I’ll be the fall guy, but damn now you in the book talking about this and that," Rondo said. "And for me as a teammate, I probably supported [Allen] more than anybody on the team, all [his stuff] that [he] had going on in Boston. I wasn’t mad that [he] went to Miami."