BOSTON – Rajon Rondo broke his silence regarding his contract situation Sunday night, saying that he would like to remain with the Celtics but he will put himself on the market next summer if he cannot reach a deal with the Celtics by Monday night’s deadline.

Rondo said that his agent, Bill Duffy, usually calls him whenever there is an update regarding his contract, but he hasn’t received a call from Duffy since Friday –– and that tells him that there has been no progress.

The Celtics must sign Rondo by Monday nightor he will become a restricted free agent when the season ends. If that happens, the Celtics can still match any offer that Rondo gets in the open market if they want to keep him.

The Celtics reportedly offered Rondo a five-year, $45-million contract last week, but Rondo and Duffy said they believe he should be paid as much as one of the top-five point guards in the league. They are reportedly seeking a five-year deal worth between $55 and $60 million.

“I believe I’m one of the best at what I do,” Rondo said. “That’s how I play and I workout and work as hard as I can to be the best.”

Rondo said that his contract negotiations have not been a distraction to him.

“I’m focused on the season. It’s not like I’m worried about the contract. I have a tough first week. I can’t really be focused on [my contract] when I’ve got Mo Williams, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose. It wouldn’t be fair to my team if I was thinking of my contract right now.”

When asked how confident he was that he will be a Celtic next season, Rondo said, “I don’t know… It’s a business. I want to be here but you never know what is going to happen.”

“I think some team out there wants me so it’s not like I won’t have a job next year,” Rondo added. “I’ll be playing somewhere. I’ll be playing basketball for a long time hopefully, if I can stay healthy.”

Boston coach Doc Rivers wants Rondo back next year.

“He’s the best point guard for us and that’s all that matters,” Rivers said. “He’s been terrific for us in everything we’ve needed him to do.”

New Orleans coach Byron Scott has also been impressed with Rondo, calling him one of the top “five or six” point guards in the league.

“He looks a lot more comfortable,” Scott said. “He’s playing with a lot more confidence than he did when I saw him early last year. He just looks like a different player from that standpoint. Talent-wise we knew last year playing against him that he was underrated. He was playing well and I think he’s just now starting to get his just due as far as his playing is concerned.”

* * *

Rivers called captain Paul Pierce one of the best rebounding small forwards in the game today.

Pierce grabbed 22 rebounds in Boston’s first three games, averaging 7.3 rebounds per game. For his career, Pierce has averaged 6.3 rebounds per game.

“He’s got to be one of the top rebounding small forwards in the league,” Rivers said. “He’s amazing. The game in Cleveland, in my opinion, he won it for us with his rebounding…He’s a better athlete than everyone gives him credit for.”

* * *

Celtics backup forward Brian Scalabrine said that his sprained right ankle is fully healed.

He went through full practice on Saturday and said that he felt good, but he got beat by Boston’s director of basketball development, Tyronn Lue, in a one-on-one game, 7-5, prior to last night’s game versus New Orleans.

Lue played in the NBA for 11 years for seven different teams before joining the Celtics this season. The former point guard had hoped to play for the Celtics this year, but he settled on a coaching role.

Tony Allen (ankle) is expected to miss at least another week.

rlee@projo.com