Rajon Rondo didn’t commit to re-signing with the Dallas Mavericks this summer upon December’s trade from the Boston Celtics, but that certainly seemed the most likely scenario. Not only will Dallas possess the ability to offer the former All-Star a more lucrative contract than competitors, but Mark Cuban and company also made clear they envision Rondo wearing Mavericks blue for the distant future.
But that was during the honeymoon phase of this surprising mid-season marriage. As Dallas has played inconsistent basketball and Rondo’s integration proven hardly seamless over ensuing months, there’s been a growing assumption that his time in Big D will be fleeting – and it reached a fever pitch after he and Rick Carlisle got into a heated on-court argument that resulted in the 29 year-old serving a one-game suspension.
In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Rondo not only dispelled rumors that he’s already decided against inking a new deal with the Mavs, but also stressed how much he loves playing for Dallas.
Q: So you are open-minded to re-signing with Dallas?
Rondo: “Why would I not be? There are a lot of things that I really love…I love it here. I don’t dislike anything. I’m not uncomfortable. Of course, the system is different, but I’ve been here for two months. It’s going to take time. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.”
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Q: How do you reflect on your one-game suspension with the Mavericks after having the argument with Carlisle during a game?
Rondo: “The situation happened and everyone was like, ‘Oh, he doesn’t want to be here now.’ I get into it with all my coaches…Two men had a disagreement. Obviously, we didn’t handle it the right way. Obviously, regardless of how it goes down it’s always going to be the player’s fault, and I took responsibility. But it’s a two-way street and we’re moving on from that.”
Q: What type of relationship do you have with Carlisle now?
Rondo: “I have probably talked to Rick more than I talked to any coach in my career whether it’s watching film, trying to get me up to speed, what he expects out of me, what he would like to see me do more, what he wants me to get away from. It’s pretty much an ongoing thing.
[…]
Q: How tough is it to adjust to a new team after a trade?
Rondo: “It’s tough. People think you’re supposed to go right in and fit in. You’re coming to a completely different system. You got 14 guys adjusting to you. Me as a player and a person, I have to adjust to the 14 guys and make it easier. It hasn’t been bad in transition. A lot of support.”
That doesn’t exactly sound like a guy who’s unhappy with his franchise. In addition to his rapport with Carlisle, especially key here is Rondo’s admission that gelling with a new team can’t happen overnight. He hasn’t been the player so many expected him to be since coming to Dallas, but clearly understands there’s still ample opportunity for him to become it.
The question the Mavericks need to be asking themselves is if he ever will. We were low on the trade compared to other analysts, mostly because Rondo is a difficult stylistic fit for a team that made hay offensively by maximizing the value of space and ball movement. But he can’t shoot and is best with the ball in his hands, attributes that have contributed to Dallas’ fall from the league’s best offensive rating to its fifth.
Does that awkwardness combined with Rondo nearing the wrong side of 30 years-old make him a worthy max contract recipient? We don’t think so, but it bears mentioning that such a deal will be worth comparatively less than it seems as the cap makes a dramatic jump following next season. A maximum-level deal signed next summer, basically, won’t play like it in terms of salary appropriations for years following 2015-2016.
That’s a worry for July, though. Once Chandler Parsons soon returns to the lineup, the Mavs will be able to use the regular season’s final stretch to repair and improve an on- and off- court relationship with perhaps its most important player that hasn’t exactly been fruitful. But the talent is there for Dallas to make it work, and Carlisle is a genius at exploiting matchups come playoff time.
And what’s the surest way for Rondo and the Mavericks to ensure they’re together for the long-haul? Making legitimate noise in April May, and June, of course.
[Yahoo]
