BOSTON — The offseason is just getting started and the Celtics plan to do a bit of wheeling and dealing before next season starts.

Free agency began on Wednesday and Boston president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said the Celtics will definitely try to sign a veteran free agent or two that they believe will make them a better team and put them in position to win the NBA title next season. They have already reportedly offered a contract to Detroit free agent Rasheed Wallace, and are interested in Orlando guard Tyronn Lue.

If you believe the rumors, point guard Rajon Rondo could be on the trading block. Don’t believe them.

Rondo, his agent Bill Duffy and Ainge all went on Boston sports radio station WEEI last week to set the record straight, and as if that wasn’t enough to quiet the rumors — because it wasn’t — Ainge came out and said in his post-draft news conference that the Celtics “are not trading Rondo.”

“We love the kid and we think he has a very bright future,” Ainge said. “I don’t anticipate any trades this offseason regarding any of our core players.”

Why would the Celtics consider trading the ever-improving Rondo who is considered by most, including Ainge, to be one of the top-10 point guards in the NBA?

Some say that he is stubborn, headstrong, and wants things run his way even though there are three All-Stars on Boston’s roster.

So is Rondo stubborn?

The answer is yes, and he says that’s a good thing.

“As far as attitude-wise, I think I can be stubborn,” Rondo said. “I think that’s a great trademark for me because I love to compete so much. I love to win. I’m always studying the game and I’m a student of the game. The point guard and the coach aren’t always going to see eye-to-eye, but at the end of the day Doc [Rivers] and I have a strong relationship to where we do and we can talk to each other on and off the court.

“Great players are going to be stubborn,” Rondo added. “They’re not always going to be a yes man or always go with the flow. To be a leader you have to stand out on your own sometimes and do what you want to do. But as far as the team aspect, you have to stay with the team.”

Some say that Rondo is a disruptive player. He was fined last year for coming to games late, including at least one playoff game.

“People are going to make assumptions. Everyone has opinions,” Rondo said. “Actually when I do come to games, I try to come to games as late as possible because I don’t like to go in the locker room and talk and waste time. When I come to the gym, I like to come right in, jump right into my gear and go out there and play.”

Ainge said: “There were just a couple of issues where Rajon was late this year. I don’t know if he was sitting in his car but he showed up late, and the rest of the team was there. We waited for him. We have team rules and you have to be on time. So he was fined for being late. He said he was stuck in traffic and that’s just unacceptable.”

Ainge added that Rondo is “not that disruptive of a player.”

“He’s got to grow up in some cases and I think he is, too,” Ainge said. “I think slowly but surely Rondo is maturing. He’s getting a little bit more control of his emotions and he’s responding in a more positive way as he gets older and more mature in the league so we certainly wouldn’t trade him because of those things. At the same time we expect him to play by the rules and be a leader. As a point guard we really need him to be more of a leader than someone who thinks more of himself at times.”

When asked again about Rondo’s “disruptive nature,” Ainge said, “We won’t trade a player unless he’s really, really disruptive and Rondo certainly is not a disruptive force on our team. He’s a dynamic player and we love the kid, so we’re not looking to trade Rondo because he’s late for a playoff game or because he’s got some growing up to do. Some of our 30-year-old players have some growing up to do as well. I think that there’s a lot of speculation because Rondo’s expecting a contract and Rondo was late for a playoff games and he didn’t play well in the Orlando series and I think a lot of people are making more to do out of something that’s not there.”

Rondo is still on his rookie contract but the Celtics have until the end of October to extend it. He will make $2.62 million next season, which is less than his backup Eddie House ($2.86 million) will make. If the Celtics can’t complete a deal with Rondo, he will become a restricted free agent after next season.

Rondo said that he hopes to sign a max contract with the Celtics, but Ainge said that Rondo “is not” a max-contract player right now, and that the Celtics might not be able to afford Rondo when his contract expires at the end of next season.

“I think it’s a good goal for Rondo to have just from the monetary standpoint but to be that kind of player that warrants a max-contract player, I certainly don’t see Rondo as a max-contract player today,” Ainge said.

Rondo said that he has no control over what the Celtics will do about trading him or not, but one thing he has control over is how much he improves. He said that he will work long and hard this summer on his all-around game, and especially improving his midrange jumper.

“I want to be the best point guard in the league next season,” Rondo said. “I think I had a good playoffs and I want to continue to improve from there. I have a lot of expectations of myself and a couple of my teammates do as well so if I can continue to put the work in I’m sure eventually it will pay off and I think I can be one of the best point guards in the game so I just have to continue to work.”

It looks like Rondo isn’t going anywhere.