With the way Rajon Rondo is unraveling in Dallas, it’s obvious his days in Dallas are numbered. Adrian Wojnarowski sheds some light on the drama:
Around Rondo, the energy is toxic. The Rockets’ and Mavericks’ interests intersect everywhere, including with the trade pursuit for Rondo in December. Rondo’s agent never wanted Rondo in Houston, partly because it would’ve cost another client, Patrick Beverley, his job and payday to re-sign with the Rockets this summer. In the end, the Rockets kept bidding on Rondo to try to push the price higher for the Mavericks, which was ultimately unsuccessful.
When Rondo realized his run with the Celtics was over this year, he planned to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in the summer, league sources told Yahoo Sports. He expected a maximum contract. Once Dallas made the trade, he was open to re-signing with the Mavericks – only there are no max contract offers for Rondo on the market. Not in Dallas, nor Los Angeles. He’s played his way out of that payday – not just this year, but since that terrible ACL injury two years ago.
Everyone can insist that Rondo no longer cares, that he’s stopped trying, and Game 2’s debacle made a case for it. Rondo is the prince of moody, yes, but he’s lost with these Mavericks – and they’re lost with him. Nevertheless, Rondo hasn’t given up on salvaging this season, nor his Mavericks career.
Rondo always does the work, the preparation, but everyone could see again in Game 2 that his struggles with Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle remain an immense hurdle. On the court, there were those who believed Rondo’s eight-second violation for failing to cross the midcourt line was an act of protest on the coach’s calling of plays. Rondo played 10 minutes, picking up fouls for slapping at James Harden, and finally a technical to start the third quarter for shoving Harden out of sheer frustration.
Carlisle banished him to the bench, choosing Raymond Felton over Rondo in the fourth quarter. Everything’s pushing Rondo closer to his inevitable free-agent fleeing to the Lakers this summer. As long as the coach is back, Rondo’s gone, sources told Yahoo Sports. The parting could be mutual
As long as the coach is back, Rondo’s gone, sources told Yahoo Sports. The parting could be mutual.
When Rondo and Carlisle had it out on the bench and again in the locker room in February, teammates heard Rondo ask him: “Why the [bleep] did you bring me here?”
Yikes, what a sh*t show.
All the Boston-based Rondo haters are coming out of the woodwork with a giant dose of, “I told you so.” Let’s be real… Rondo’s attitude (and performance) was never this bad in Boston.
UPDATE:
ESPN sources says Mavs are ruling out Rajon Rondo indefinitely after back injury he sustained in Game 2
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) April 22, 2015
