"To hear Danny Ainge and Doc Rivers tell it, it's a badge of honor for a player to have his name mentioned in trade rumors.

"I think he's one of the top point guards in the NBA," Rivers said yesterday of Rajon Rondo, who has been mentioned most prominently in trade discussions involving the Hornets' Chris Paul. "I think he's established that.

"There's a reason that when this thing leaked out, it was all over the news — because the players they're talking about are both really good," Rivers added. "Rondo established that through his play. He's a great basketball player, he does so many things for our team. He should be flattered; this is news."

It's also, according to Ainge, a remote option for the Celtics, though the general manager skated circles around the subject of his all-star point guard's trade-ability during yesterday's press conference. Ainge said he didn't intend, didn't want to, nor wasn't close to trading Rondo."