Rajon Rondo Reaches Rock Bottom with Mavs

[kats23]

Rondo has has too many apologists for his own good throughout his career going all the way back to Bibby. Rondo needs the perfect situation to flourish and he had that in Boston during the Big 3's prime. All he needs is 2-3 strong willed guys who won't take his crap but not single him out. He needs a strong willed coach who won't take his crap but not embarrass him in the media. How many situations exist in the NBA for him that match that criteria? Time for Rondo to adapt.

 

[UK90]

He needs to be on a team that is a solid contender..

That's a weak excuse. At the time Rondo was traded, Dallas was 19-8 in the league's toughest division, and the common belief is that they were only one missing part, a quality point guard, away from being a title contender.

Rondo was supposed to be that missing part, but instead he ended up making the team worse instead of better (and, oddly enough, the Celtics at the same time got much better after getting rid of him).

 

[3rex]

How did I know I would see you in this thread.

Uhhh.... I have no idea?

 

[KentuckySir]

Rondo will be fine next season with Kobe. And I think they sign Marc Gasol and Leonard.

Rondo
kobe
Leonard
Randle
Gasol

Decent line up.

 

[UKcats1988]

Rondo will be fine next season with Kobe. And I think they sign Marc Gasol and Leonard.

Rondo
kobe
Leonard
Randle
Gasol

Decent line up.

They're not getting Leonard.

 

[wildcatsboston1984]

a "shooter" doesn't have to be someone that requires a 15M salary.

Has to be someone that actually would want to play for Kobe. That's the biggest reason why so many FAs haven't even considered Los Angeles the past few years and why they are as bad as they are now.

 

[Gunner146]

Rondo and Kevin Love to the Lakers along with a healthy Randle coming back and a lottery pick.

 

[St.PatterSoN-54-]

It's a bit disappointing to hear how Rondo has acted out with multiple teams. Seems to be a malcontent. That's a shame.

 

[UKCatsFan10]

Rondo is a tough guy to like. If he wasn't an ex-cat, I'm pretty sure I would strongly dislike him. Instead I just slightly dislike him, but if I was a part of this Dallas Mavs team I would be VERY tired of his BS. He acts as if he couldn't care less about being in the playoffs. He just strikes me as a guy who thinks the world owes him something because he used to be great when he was surrounded by 3 HOF'ers.

 

[truebluewildcat]

Rajon is a rare breed...he can turn it on and be one of the best...but he can also shut it down whenever he isn't feeling it for whatever reason..

it is clear he isn't all in with the Mavs, and hasn't been from the get go...

He's one of the most talented players in the league...I hope he gets to a situation that better suits him...

Lakers are an intriguing prospect...LA could get a lot better in a hurry if they play their cards right this offseason...2 first round picks, and an early second...

their line up could look like

Rajon Rondo
Kobe Bryant
Julius Randle
lottery pick (Russell, Winslow, WCS)
27th pick (Lyles, Dakari, Rondae Hollis Jefferson, RJ Hunter)

add in another decent offseason acquisition...and LA could be a decent squad...

 

[ThroughBlue]

Rondo will be fine next season with Kobe. And I think they sign Marc Gasol and Leonard.

Rondo
kobe
Leonard
Randle
Gasol

Decent line up.

Based on what?

 

[UK90]

Based on what?

Only his dreams. Appears that KentuckySir poster doesn't understand how the salary cap works. His proposed Laker lineup is nothing but a fantasy.

 

[UK90]

Just heard that Rondo's plus/minus in this series is a shockingly-awful minus 36 in only 37 MINUTES of playing time. The dude is on a minus point a minute pace thus far.

 

[MWes11]

This marriage is 100% over.

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FollowMarc SteinVerified account‏@ESPNSteinLine
ESPN sources says Mavs are ruling out Rajon Rondo indefinitely after back injury he sustained in Game 2

 

[ukwazoo]

If you follow the NBA at all, or keep tabs on our Cats, you could clearly see that it was only a matter of time until this marriage ended extremely nasty. Well, with Rondo only playing 9 minutes last night against the Rockets, it appears the marriage is over. I have always been a huge fan of Rondo's game on the court. Clear to see that he has issues getting along with teammates and coaches. Where will he end up next year? Lakers with Kobe and Julius?

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25158397

Clarkson was awesome for LA this year. Not sure they need Rondo. They need some wings. Winslow would be a good pick.

 

[tank2009]

When i think of rondo....i think Spoiled brat!

 

[J_Dee]

About the back injury, per ESPN:

"Rondo had initially hurt his back about a week ago, a source said, but the point guard thought he could play through it and he did not inform the Mavericks' trainers until after he was called for the blocking foul on Harden, which exacerbated the injury, early in the Game 2 loss. Rondo will be examined by a specialist as soon as possible to determine the extent of the injury."

 

[UK90]

Sounds like someone's suspicious of the back injury story:

Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon · 17m17 minutes ago
With such a serious back injury, I'm surprised Rajon Rondo was first out of locker room instead of going to trainer's room for treatment.

Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon · 46m46 minutes ago
Do you expect Rajon Rondo to ever wear a Mavericks uniform again? "No, I don't," Rick Carlisle said.

 

[KentuckySir]

Lakers can sign a Max then Rondo do a decent deal.

 

[king of cali]

I just think he did not want to be traded from Boston to begin with and doesn't like the team or coaches in Dallas at all. He is being a brat about it, but hey, he's a top-5 PG and doesn't appreciate being treated like a has-been. He's never been about being THE MAN, if that were true he would not have gotten along so well with Garnett and Pierce in Boston. If anything I think he shied away from that after those two were traded. He doesn't want a team to be built around him. He does want to be appreciated for his own ability to run plays and find guys open.

He is also extremely intelligent, probably one of the highest IQ players in the NBA. That's why he and Garnett are so close, Garnett is really intelligent too. He does not suffer fools, and I'm guessing there are quite a few of them on that Dallas team and in the coaching ranks. There's a reason Rick Carlisle has been fired by two other teams; some players just cannot stand him.

That is such a cop out. Everything is always on everyone else with Rondo, and never him. Carlisle has led a team to a title, so it's pretty safe to say the he isn't the "fool" that Rondo can't receive coaching from. Guys like Dirk and Chandler are consummate professionals and locker room leaders. Safe to say that the problem lies somewhere else. Rondo has had this same sort of problem everywhere he's been going back to high school. Their is one common denominator in all of those situations. The most damning evidence against him is that Boston got better after he was gone and Dallas got worse.

 

[Mossip]

There's a reason Rick Carlisle has been fired by two other teams; some players just cannot stand him.

You should never post anything NBA related again. That is just a mind-numbingly stupid thing to say. You have no clue what the hell you're talking about; Carlisle is one of the best coaches in the league and the Mavericks are known for having a great locker room. Rondo has been known as a bitch since highschool. Gimme a break with this misunderstood genius bullshit. The guy is an insufferable crybaby.

 

[sillygoose12]

Pacers would be perfect for him, they've wanted him for years and Bird would keep him in line.

 

[jameslee32]

I will flat out guarantee nobody bashing Rondo watched game 1 or ever rooted for him in the first place. Dude's a warrior and his credentials speak for themselves. The Big 3 do nothing in Boston without him. Nada!

 

[Mossip]

I will flat out guarantee nobody bashing Rondo watched game 1 or ever rooted for him in the first place. Dude's a warrior and his credentials speak for themselves. The Big 3 do nothing in Boston without him. Nada!

First off, I never questioned his abilities when I bashed him. The guy is one of the best pg's in the league, you know, when he isn't sobbing over his Connect Four game and fighting the good fight with his upside down logo headband.

I've followed him his entire career and really wanted to like the guy. I was following him when he had problems with his coach in high school, when he butted heads with Tubby, and while he and Doc Rivers constantly had spats in spite of winning. Quit being homer and acknowlege the pattern. Rondo has a piss poor attitude and is an entitled brat.

 

[It'saDoneDeal]

Dude's a warrior and his credentials speak for themselves.

And his history of being an immature jerk who can't get along with anyone speaks for itself as well. But the big problem now is that he's physically and mentally not the same player he was a few years ago.

 

[king of cali]

I will flat out guarantee nobody bashing Rondo watched game 1 or ever rooted for him in the first place. Dude's a warrior and his credentials speak for themselves. The Big 3 do nothing in Boston without him. Nada!

What are his credentials? That he was the 4th option PG on a team that won a title 7 years ago?

 

[Jamal Sunburn]

It was never gonna work for Rondo in Dallas. He doesn't have the ball in his hands, can't call the plays, and they want him to spot up. It was a recipe for disaster.
I also don't get the "teammates hate him". Most of his teammates like the dude.
He'll bounce back next season when he gets to pick his own situation.

 

[jameslee32]

And his history of being an immature jerk who can't get along with anyone speaks for itself as well. But the big problem now is that he's physically and mentally not the same player he was a few years ago.

Physically for sure right now and the past couple years. Mentally he's better in every way on the court and good enough to lead the league in assists before the trade.

Attitude wise is more unclear. You can tell he wants to lead and wants to win but doesn't appear to go about it the right way at times. He definitely needs to be in the right situation to continue to excel in the sport. I'm confident he'll choose a team wisely since by all accounts, he's a pretty intelligent guy.

There's there's this. He didn't use his political power and taxpayer resources for personal gain, cheat people out of money or kill anyone that I know of.

 

[jameslee32]

What are his credentials? That he was the 4th option PG on a team that won a title 7 years ago?

Might I suggest you watch more basketball king.

 

[MWes11]

What are his credentials? That he was the 4th option PG on a team that won a title 7 years ago?

 

[UK90]

Mentally he's better in every way on the court and good enough to lead the league in assists before the trade.
.

And you say that based on what?

Sorry, but nothing about the way Rondo performed this year suggests that "mentally he's better every way." Indeed, Tuesday night's performance was one of the most boneheaded I've ever seen, with one jarringly dumb mistake after another. And how does a guy who's supposedly "mentally" better see such a startling drop in his free throw percentage at age of 29? That's the sort of that thing that typically suggests a player has lost his focus and mental edge.

And the significance of his "before the trade" numbers is rather mitigated by the fact that his before-the-trade team did far better after getting rid of him. Once again: Celtics with Rondo 9-14, Celtics without Rondo 31-28.

 

[Uk1111]

Too bad he won't give it his all, all the time! You know he dogged it here at times since he butt heads with Tubby!