Well, this certainly didn’t take long.
Rajon Rondo came to the Dallas Mavericks via trade in December. Despite initial hopes and projections, it seems like he’ll be gone by July.
First, we start with some weird joo joo. Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle pulled Rondo out of the team’s Game 2 loss to the Houston Rockets roughly 30 seconds into the second half and the point guard did not return, presumably because he looked disengaged and bored and was playing like crap.
But then this happened, per ESPN.com’s Marc Stein:
ESPN sources says Mavs are ruling out Rajon Rondo indefinitely after back injury he sustained in Game 2
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) April 22, 2015
Riiiiiight.
To be clear, this is how you should read that report:
???????????????????????????????? RT @ESPNSteinLine: ESPN sources says Mavs are ruling out Rajon Rondo indefinitely after back injury he sustained in Game 2
— Dan Favale (@danfavale) April 22, 2015
This is too much of a coincidence. Rondo has clashed with Carlisle on more than one occasion this season, was pulled from Game 2, basically receiving a “DNP: Coach’s Decision” for the entire second half, and now he’s injured? That’s a little too convenient.
It’s impossibly convenient knowing Carlisle went on to say this, per ESPN Dallas’ Tim MacMahon:
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
No freaking way. What coach says that? This must be some kind of joke.
Except it’s not.
Just so you know we’re not punking you, Bryan Gutierrez of Mavs Outsider delivered the same sound bite:
Rick Carlisle on if he expects Rajon Rondo to wear a Dallas Mavericks uniform again: “No, I don’t."
— Bryan Gutierrez (@BallinWithBryan) April 22, 2015
Hot damn, this is totally shocking yet not at all shocking at the same time. Rondo and the Mavericks haven’t meshed, they’re being thoroughly outplayed by the Rockets and they haven’t found a semblance of rhythm since syncing up. It’s better for both parties to just move on over the offseason, Rondo to a team that values a ball-dominating point guard who cannot be stashed anywhere when playing off the rock, the Mavericks to a free agent who better suits their offensive system and locker-room culture.
What remains to be seen is: 1) How much longer until the Mavericks are bounced in the first round and 2) How exactly will Rondo leave over the summer?
As for how long the Mavericks will last, I’ll give them two, maybe three more games at this point. Even though Rondo’s absence could be construed as a potential boon, Devin Harris is banged up and Chandler Parsons is done for the year.
Yes, the year:
Chandler Parsons is out for the season and is exploring surgery options on his right knee, source told me.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 22, 2015
So that’s that. Rondo’s free agency, however, will be somewhat interesting. He could most definitely leave out right or, in an attempt to gain something from his departure, the Mavericks could look to broker a sign-and-trade. Remember, they forked over a first-round pick and a key role player in Brandan Wright to get him. Watching him leave for nothing would sting.
But that’s a matter for another day. Another month, really (July). For now, the Mavericks have a playoff series to worry about.
Panic over their indecorous future can be tabled for another, oh, week or two.
