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Rajon Rondo: ‘I didn’t pitch anything’ to Kevin Love

Rajon Rondo will be a free agent after next season.AP

WALTHAM — On a day usually reserved for NBA hopefuls, as the Celtics held their first official draft workouts, Rajon Rondo blended into the landscape, watching the guard-heavy sessions following his customary day of working out his surgically repaired right knee.

And after being a part of Kevin Love’s rather public visit to Boston, Rondo addressed the possibility of playing with the three-time All-Star as well as his own cloudy future in Boston.

Rondo watched guards such as Chaz Williams from UMass, Russ Smith from Louisville, and Tim Frazier of Penn State work out before deciding to address the media for the first time in six weeks. And, of course, one of the first questions was about his interaction with Love during the Red Sox’ win over the Rays Sunday at Fenway Park.

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“I talked to Kevin for about 39 seconds,” Rondo said. “It was all over the web? Well, we do work together. We played against each other. We compete, so when I saw Kevin, I spoke, wished him good luck on his time here in Boston.

“He spent a couple of days here in Boston and I told him I spent a couple of months here in Boston.”

Love is entering the final year of his contract in Minnesota and there has been speculation that the power forward will play elsewhere next season. Boston could be at the top of his priority list, but Rondo said the two did not discuss the possibility of playing together.

“I didn’t pitch anything,” Rondo said. “I just told him to enjoy his time here. When I was at the game, some people came up to me and told me Kevin was sitting in some really nice seats. I didn’t know I would see him. I saw him as I was exiting the game.”

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The addition of a player such as Love would enhance the Celtics’ chances of competing and perhaps of keeping Rondo in Boston for the long term. Rondo’s contract, like Love’s, expires following the 2014-15 season.

“I believe in [team president] Danny [Ainge], it’s his job [to improve the team] and he’s working on it now,” Rondo said. “I don’t need to say how good [Love] is. The world sees it every night or they see his stats every night.

“We have to find a way to beat the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs the way both teams are continuing to dominate the last couple of seasons.

“The two or three years we were good, they geared up to beat the Boston Celtics, just like the year before we got up to beat the Detroit Pistons. So it’s a matter of trying to get the right team together to beat the Heat and the Spurs, because they’re the teams to beat.”

How much would Love help in that effort? “I think we’d be a lot better if we had a guy like Kevin,” Rondo said. “He’s a shooting [power forward]. He’s going to help us out on the glass, obviously.

“But this is all speculation. Nothing’s happened. We talk about Kevin all day or we could insert Carmelo [Anthony’s] name but nothing’s happened. We’ve got a couple of days left before the [June 26] draft, things may shake up before that time.”

Rondo made it apparent that the Celtics’ 25-57 season was difficult and he wants the organization to take a major step forward.

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“Well, at the end of the day, I want to win, I want to win now,” Rondo said. “And I’m sure Danny will have the guys in here to compete for a title. I don’t just want to make the playoffs and get to the first and second rounds. And I feel when I make the playoffs, I expect to win every time.”

Once again, Rondo said he would like to finish his career in Boston. He also said he will spend a majority of the summer in Boston for the first time.

“I don’t like change, really,” he said. “I’m pretty comfortable. I have a beautiful home here. I love it. I have great neighbors.

“I don’t want to leave, but it’s part of the process that I’ll talk about once the season is over. As of now, I’m a Celtic.”


Gary Washburn can be reached at gwashburn@globe.com. Follow Gary Washburn on Twitter at@GWashburnGlobe.