The Rajon Rondo situation in Chicago is quickly reaching its nadir. Back in December, the oftentimes petulant guard earned a one-game suspension by his team for what they called a confrontation with coaching staff. It didn’t bode well for his tenure with the Bulls, given that Rondo has proven either incapable or unwilling to get along with his coaches during his last two stops in Sacramento and Dallas.
And inevitably, he found himself in Fred Hoiberg’s doghouse in the midst of the Bulls’ recent skid. He hasn’t played single minute since December 30, including Monday night’s game against the Thunder, which the arena – who clearly isn’t on the same page as the coaching staff – hilariously celebrated as Rajon Rondo bobblehead night.
Regardless, Rondo remains confused as to why he’s been benched and isn’t buying this particularly-ambiguous explanation:
Rondo said he was told team is trying to "save him from himself." Rondo's thought on that? "I thought it was bullsh*t."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 10, 2017
In fact, it doesn’t seem like there’s been very much communication between the two parties at all, at least not in a way that has satisfactorily explained why Rondo has found himself in this current predicament.
Rondo on if he and Hoiberg have talked much about his circumstance: "Um. How can I say this? No."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 10, 2017
That said, he has his own ideas about how he ended up at this point:
Rondo: "You’re only as good as your coach thinks you are. That’s a big part of each individual’s success in the NBA."
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 10, 2017
Rondo has indicated previously that he’d like to be bought out if he isn’t in the organization’s plans moving forward, and that looks like the increasingly-likely scenario. Complicating matters, however, is his two-year, $28 million contract. Rondo’s game no longer appears suited to the modern NBA, and his ongoing interpersonal issues could spell the beginning of the end for a once-brilliant career.
