For those of us who thought Rajon Rondo’s situation with the Chicago Bulls couldn’t get any weirder, it turns out we were wrong.
Leading into the Bulls’ Tuesday night loss to the Washington Wizards, Rondo hadn’t played in the last five games. A scheduled rest day for Dwyane Wade plus Jimmy Butler’s absence forced him back into the rotation, so he addressed reporters before the game.
Rondo was naturally asked about falling out of the rotation, and he, also naturally, didn’t hold back. Pressed about whether he was given a reason for the decision, Rondo relayed an interesting anecdote, per K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune:
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
Has he talked to Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg about this?
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
OK, then.
Rondo wrapped Tuesday’s contest with 12 points, four rebounds, six assists and three steals on a solid 6-of-13 shooting. Chicago remains statistically better on offense with him and is only slightly worse defensively, according to NBA.com. His benching probably has more to do with the fact that he can’t shoot threes and the Bulls need floor spacing.
Then again, Jerian Grant and Michael Carter-Williams, the two guards who have absorbed many of Rondo’s minutes, aren’t sweet-shooting snipers—hence the weirdness of this situation.
Is the move then attitude-related? Is Hoiberg trying to get the team to buy out Rondo? Are the Bulls working toward what is, as of now, an unlikely trade? Is this all just temporary?
Fuck if any of us know. We’re just along for the ride, anxiously waiting on what happens next—kind of like Rondo himself.
