BOSTON — Rajon Rondo wore a black sling on his left arm to help protect the surgically repaired bone in his hand.

His relationship with the Boston Celtics appears healthy.

Entering the final season of his contract, the only star on the rebuilding team had a simple answer Monday when asked if he wants to stick around beyond that: “Yes,” he said.

The point guard is expected to miss at least the first two weeks of Boston’s season, which starts Oct. 29 at home against the Brooklyn Nets.

President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said at the Celtics’ media day that he has tried to sign Rondo to an extension, but the collective bargaining agreement makes it in Rondo’s financial interests to wait.

Meanwhile, Rondo must wait to play until getting medical clearance for the injury that he said occurred when he slipped in the shower.

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“Am I under investigation?” Rondo joked when asked about the injury. “It wasn’t like a banana (peel) slip. I actually almost caught myself. I landed on my knuckle on the windowsill in my home.”

The four-time All-Star became the undisputed leader of the young team when the Celtics traded Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to the Nets before last season. But he has been the subject of trade speculation several times in his eight NBA seasons, all with Boston.

Working with a rebuilt roster, Coach Brad Stevens was 25-57 last season for the third-worst record in team history. It was the first season of Stevens’ six-year, $22 million contract.

Rondo missed the first 40 games last season recovering from major knee surgery and was healthy this offseason, until Thursday night. He had surgery Friday.

Ainge said he has no reason to doubt Rondo’s description of the incident and recalled his own injury from slipping after a shower in Las Vegas this summer.

“I was staying at the Wynn Hotel and I came out of the shower and slipped and smashed my head (and) had to go to the emergency room,” Ainge said. “Talking to the medical staff and so forth, (Rondo’s) injury is an injury that happens when you land. It’s not like a hitting injury or a hitting-a-wall injury or something like that.

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“I’ve been with him now for eight years and he’s never lied to me that I’m aware of and I have no reason not to believe him.”

He also said the team is not investigating the incident.

Without Rondo, the point guard candidates include Avery Bradley, Phil Pressey, Marcus Smart and Evan Turner.

Bradley, the 19th player drafted in 2010, signed a four-year contract in the offseason. Pressey made the team as a rookie free agent last season. Smart was drafted in the first round this year.

Turner, the No. 2 overall pick in 2010, signed with the Celtics on Monday.


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