Courtesy of the Chicago Bulls
I pride myself as being a very observant person who occasionally has the foresight to predict certain events before it happens, therefore, it is with the utmost confidence that I predict Rajon Rondo is one team away from being a backup point guard. We predicted his demise under Celtics coach Brad Stevens, and although he ranked among our top pure point guards in 2015, he was the only player on said list to be apart of a team that did not advance to the NBA playoffs. I’ll give Rondo the benefit of the doubt as the Kings are in a tough Western Conference, however, he participated in 72 games and contributed to disappointing 33-49 record –Not a good look for a player who was once heralded as the best player in a Celtics uniform (according to Charles Barkley who oozes with ridiculous comments) .
Rondo, the one time NBA champion, enjoyed rock star status as a member of the Boston Celtics alongside NBA greats \future hall of famers Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. I’m sure he’d like to forget the brief stint with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2014-15 season, and while the Mavericks advanced to the playoffs that year, he was quickly benched after two games due several reported issues with teammates and the head coach. According to several online reports, the Mavericks were going out of their way to pretend he didn’t exist.
Rondo’s productivity improved alongside DeMarcus Cousins where he averaged a double-double as a member of the Sacramento Kings, however, his impact didn’t exactly transform them into a west coast juggernaut as Rondo blamed tension and distractions for the demise of the team . His current stint with the Chicago Bulls marks the fourth NBA team of his career and third in just three seasons. At the current rate, Rondo is on path to join his fifth team next season (if he proves to be a poison to the Bulls lineup).
There’s no denying Rondo’s basketball intelligence, court vision, and remarkable ability to pass the rock. His confidence has not shifted despite injury, however, I never thought of him as being a superstar, but more so a player who facilitates the ball to real superstars –that’s where Rondo is most effective, and I believe he needs to have that realization moving forward in his career.
Same O’l Rondo
We’re only 20 games into the season and the Bulls have already suspended Rondo one game for conduct detrimental to the team due to a reported verbal altercation with lead assistant coach Jim Boylen during a loss to the Dallas Mavericks. If you ask me its just the same old Rondo, a player who appears to allow a brash attitude to precede his talent on the court. Hes built up a history of suspensions as tall as Manute Bol, while his reputation of rubbing coaches, teammates, and refs the wrong way continue to reflect negatively on teams looking to sign him. I think Rondo needs to have a talk with the man in the mirror and come to the realization that his fate is in his own hands, and his future as a starting NBA point guard appears to be bleak at best.
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