The Bulls And Rajon Rondo Have Reportedly Agreed To A Two-Year Deal

The Bulls have finally made a move and Rajon Rondo is headed to the Windy City. Marc J Spears of The Undefeated was the first with the news:

After dealing Derrick Rose, it seemed like the Bulls were going to blow up the whole team and see how they could rebuild with Jimmy Butler. But now they’re getting one of the purest point guards in the game by signing Rajon Rondo, and it seems like they’re not likely to drop out of the running for the playoffs in the East.

We discussed if Rondo would be a good fit for the Bulls and Fred Hoiberg’s up-tempo play, and it seems Rondo’s playmaking ability (I.E. get the ball to Butler) could be what this team and system needs. The only problem is Rajon can’t hit the water falling out of a boat, and shooting is what gives the spacing necessary for an up-and down-game, like Hoiberg wants to play. Three-point shooting is the centerpiece of that plan, and Rondo is virtually ignored from that distance by smart opponents who read the scouting report. That cramps the paint and doesn’t allow as many drive and kick opportunities that create easy buckets for Hoiberg’s shooters.

What version of Rajon Rondo the Bulls will be getting, is the next question, along with the conflicting reports about his pay.

It looks like Rondo’s going to be motivated to make things happen in Chicago, due to year two of his contract being only partially guaranteed.

Here’s how a mutual option — which Rondo and Chicago agreed on for year two — works:

At 30 years old, Rondo is heading into the back half of his career, but this move to the Bulls is undeniably interesting. The Bulls needed a pass-first player on their team, and Rondo is the definition of a pass-first point guard. Now you have to wonder about what’s the next move for Chicago.