So much for the even the slim possibility of Rajon Rondo re-signing with the Dallas Mavericks in free agency.
Hours after a report surfaced that the former All-Star point guard would play elsewhere going forward barring a coaching change, Rick Carlisle indicated that Rondo has likely played his last game with the Mavericks.
Do you expect Rajon Rondo to ever wear a Mavericks uniform again? "No, I don't," Rick Carlisle said.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 22, 2015
Dallas ruled Rondo out for the postseason’s remainder only minutes before Carlisle’s incendiary quote. The embattled floor general reportedly aggravated a back injury early in the Mavs’ Game 2 loss to the Houston Rockets.
Rondo back injury. I'm told it's hurt him for about a week but he thought he could play through it. Then took a charge/block early in Game 2
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) April 22, 2015
Though conventional wisdom said that Rondo was simply benched in favor of the seldom-used Raymond Felton on Tuesday, his injury and Dallas’ subsequent announcement affords for the possibility of a more simple explanation. It bears mentioning, however, that the 29 year-old received no treatment today before leaving his current team’s facility.
With such a serious back injury, I'm surprised Rajon Rondo was first out of locker room instead of going to trainer's room for treatment.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 22, 2015
Either way, Carlisle’s remark no doubt irreparably fractured the Mavericks’ extremely fragile relationship with Rondo. We were skeptical of the their mid-season marriage upon the trade’s completion in December, and the club’s offensive struggles followed by a public spat between player and coach only confirmed our initial assessment.
That the situation between he and Dallas deteriorated so quickly as to render any speculation of a long-term union unfounded is still surprising, though. But Rondo has always been among the most divisive on- and off- court presences in the NBA, and his performance for the Mavericks just wasn’t good enough for Carlisle and company to continue dealing with locker room strife – irrespective of his surely diminished contractual demands come July.
What’s next for the former All-NBA Third Team honoree? If the most recent intel proves accurate, Rondo seems bound for the Los Angeles Lakers. Here’s hoping a fellow a*shole like Kobe Bryant can help repair his future teammate’s damaged reputation.
