WALTHAM — Rajon Rondo can be one difficult person to read.

Take Friday for example. Following practice, he was asked about David Stern‘s comments a day earlier in which the NBA commissioner said he wants player salaries cut by a third or up to four teams may have to be contracted. Stern is looking to save NBA owners – his bosses – between $750 and $800 million.

It was bargaining posture that sports fans have become accustomed to in the collective bargaining era. But still, the threat had a very serious undertone.

Are NBA players worried about Stern’s latest shot in the bargaining battle?

“Who? David Stern? It doesn’t worry me at all,” said Rondo, who is in line to make $9 million this season.

Is Rondo, the Celtics’ alternate player rep behind Paul Pierce, preparing for the possibility of a lockout at the end of the season?

“I’m preparing for like there is one,” Rondo added. “I’m saving a lot of money this year. I’m saving a lot on my car insurance, too. Geico.”

While that might seem like the off-hand comedic comment it is, he followed up with something a little more telling.

“We’re focused on the season. It’d be great if we could get a ring heading into a lockout but other than that, I’m focused on the season.” Read the rest of this entry »