Rajon Rondo set the internet ablaze on Thursday night with a lengthy Instagram post ripping teammates Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade for their recent comments about the team’s lack of effort and poor play.
Rondo’s Instagram post sparked a team meeting for the Bulls prior to Friday’s shootaround, and after shootaround Butler, Wade and Rondo all addressed the media about the situation.
All three noted that there was good conversation in the meeting Friday morning and insisted there were no ill feelings from Butler or Wade towards Rondo or vice versa. Butler’s comments were the most interesting, as he said he liked the controversy and had no regrets about the way any of it was handled.
https://twitter.com/highkin/status/825035061208743937
Jimmy: "I don't have any problem with Rajon, He spoke his mind. I spoke my mind. Move on."
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 27, 2017
Jimmy: "I think we'll get better from this. I'm smiling today. We are blessed to do what we love every day."
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 27, 2017
Wade and Rondo were equally diplomatic in their attempts to diffuse the controversy. Wade said there were no hard feelings and insisted on multiple occasions he had no issues with Rondo.
Wade: "Everyone gets opportunities to express themselves. That's how (Rondo) chose to express himself…I have no hard feelings."
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 27, 2017
Wade: "We met today. Grown men talking to grown men. We had dialogue with the whole team…Winning cures all. I have no issues with Rondo."
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 27, 2017
Rondo simply wanted to move on from the situation, but did express a bit of regret that some things came out in public that he felt shouldn’t have.
Rondo: "I said what I said…We had a productive meeting this morning and talked about it."
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 27, 2017
Rondo: "It's not that we don't like each other. Some things came out that shouldn't have."
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 27, 2017
The Bulls are all saying the right things now, after a team meeting, but we’ll have to wait and see how the team handles things if their current skid continues. Our first chance to see how they handle this tension on the court will be Friday night against the Heat.