Rajon Rondo Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bulls Notes: Rondo, MCW, Mirotic

March 27th, 2017 at 4:51pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Rajon Rondo‘s first season with the Bulls didn’t get off to a great start. The point guard clashed with coach Fred Hoiberg and the team benched him for five games as a result.

“I tried to stay away from milking what was going on. I didn’t want anybody to feel sorry for me,” Rondo said (via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune). “It didn’t break me down. I didn’t need sympathy calls. People did call and care and send texts. But if you know me, it’s going to be hard to break me.”

Rondo has since re-joined the rotation and he’s been starting over the last eight games. The point guard said he and Hoiberg talk more now than they did earlier in the season. “He’s telling me a lot of positive things. Fred’s a great guy,” Rondo said. “We didn’t talk much when I wasn’t playing. But I was still studying him as a coach. I was watching his moves, when he called timeout, his substitution patterns. I wanted to continue to stay positive and learn a different aspect of the game versus sitting there feeling sorry for myself.”

Here’s more from Chicago:

Rondo’s salary for the 2017/18 campaign, which is worth slightly under $13.4MM, will become guaranteed if he remains on the roster on July 1. Only $3MM of that amount is guaranteed should the Bulls decide to waive him before that date. Rondo isn’t paying attention to the financial situation, but instead, he’s focusing on getting the Bulls to the postseason, as Johnson relays in the same piece. “I can’t worry about next season,” Rondo said. “I just want to do what I can for this team this season, lead the young guys and make a push.”
Michael Carter-Williams, who will be a free agent this offseason, wants to remain with the Bulls, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times (Twitter link). Woelfel adds that MCW hasn’t ruled out returning to the Bucks.
Nikola Mirotic will be a restricted free agent this summer and it’s not out of the question that he re-signs with the Bulls, Johnson writes in a separate piece. Earlier in the month, Mirotic found himself out of the rotation, but he’s played well since earning more minutes.

Bulls Could Pick Up Rajon Rondo’s Option

March 24th, 2017 at 3:33pm CST by Milo Taibi

Bulls.com beat writer Sam Smith addressed several topics in his most recent mailbag, including the status of veteran point guard Rajon Rondo (article link). Interestingly, despite Rondo’s tumultuous season in Chicago, it is “no longer ridiculous” to envision the Bulls picking up Rondo’s $13.397MM option for 2017/18. Rondo has “remained and emerged as the one true point guard on the roster,” Smith notes, while serving as a great mentor for younger players.

Rondo’s contract is partially guaranteed for next season, meaning Chicago could create an additional $10MM+ in cap room by cutting him. If the Bulls decide to part ways with Rondo, they’ll want to make that decision by June 30, as they’ll only be on the hook for $3MM of his contract. Smith points out that Rondo could serve as a useful stopgap before the team receives a big payroll for free agency in 2018.

The Bulls are still very much in the playoff picture- just one game behind Miami for the eighth seed- thanks in part to Rondo’s quality play of late. The 31-year-old has posted 12.8 points on 49.2% shooting with 7.7 assists over his last six games, a sharp improvement from his rocky start to the season.

Along with Rondo’s production comes his baggage, of course. This season Rondo has publicly aired out teammates Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler, saying “my vets [on the Celtics] didn’t pick and choose when they wanted to bring it” (link). Additionally, Ken Berger of Bleacher Report asserted that Rondo “just flat-out blows off” coach Fred Hoiberg‘s play calls.

Rondo spoke with K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune in mid-March, refusing to focus on his contract during the team’s playoff chase.

“I’ll visit that in the offseason. I’m just focused on trying to make the playoffs and do what I can for this team to help us win each game,” Rondo said. “I tried to stay positive throughout the entire thing. I’m not going to point fingers or say anything toward the organization. They gave me the opportunity to play for the Chicago Bulls and that was the goal from the jump.”

Bulls Notes: Wade, Butler, Hoiberg

March 14th, 2017 at 8:02pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Dwyane Wade‘s homecoming with the Bulls hasn’t gone as planned and rival executives expect him to hit free agency this summer, Ken Berger of Bleacher Report writes. Wade holds a player option worth $23.8MM for next season.

Wade recently suggested that “upper management” should be the people answering questions on coach Fred Hoiberg‘s lineup decisions. “I don’t want to say too much,” Wade said after a recent game. “I don’t want to say the wrong thing.”

Hoiberg has been experimenting with the rotation, something that’s atypical this late in the season for a team trying to stay afloat in a playoff race. The Bulls entered the day with the ninth-best record in the Eastern Conference.

This wasn’t this first time that Wade showed frustration this season. In late January, Wade and Jimmy Butler criticized their teammates via social media for how they how handled a tough loss. Point guard Rajon Rondo then took to Instagram to criticize them, exclaiming that his “vets” in Boston wouldn’t take to social media to address their concerns. Sources tell Berger that as a result of the bickering, all three were fined by the team.

Here’s more from Berger’s piece:

Some rival teams always felt that the additions of Wade and Rondo were never going to work out. “It’s a three-point shooting league, and they have a backcourt where that’s not their forte,” a rival head coach told Berger.
Chicago’s lack of shooting is problematic, but Hoiberg contributes to the organizations’ issues. There’s a belief around the league that Butler is not a fan of the coach and a rival scout told Berger that he’s seen instances of Butler, Wade, and Rondo ignoring the coach’s play calls. “When Fred would call plays on the sideline, Rondo would just flat-out blow him off,” said the scout. “Wade does it, too. Butler does it, too. … That becomes infectious.”
Another rival coach told Berger that the Bulls‘ front office wants Hoiberg to work out, adding that the franchise was entertaining trade offers for Butler because dealing the 3-time All-Star would “protect” Hoiberg. “Getting rid of Butler saves Fred’s job,” the source said. “Otherwise, malaise continues.”
According to Berger, league sources “insist” that the Bulls haven’t ruled out bringing Rondo back for the second season of his contract. His salary for 2017/18 is mostly non-guaranteed.

Bulls Notes: Rondo, Mirotic, Grant, Wade

March 14th, 2017 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic returned to familiar roles Monday as the Bulls broke their five-game losing streak, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Making his first start since December 30th, Rondo put up 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists in a win at Charlotte. “That’s what I came here for,” said Rondo, who joined the Bulls on a two-year deal last summer. “But like I said, it’s a process I went through. It didn’t kill me. It’s decisions people made that’s out of my league.” Rondo’s performance should earn him some more starts, but it may not be enough to keep him in Chicago past this season. Only $3MM of his $13.397MM salary for next season is guaranteed if he is waived before June 30th.

Mirotic, who has spent nearly a week on the bench and was listed as inactive for Sunday’s game, responded to his opportunity with a team-high 24 points to go with 11 rebounds. The 26-year-old is in the final season of a three-year contract, and like Rondo, faces an uncertain future in Chicago. “It’s obvious I was not happy with the situation,” Mirotic said. “Nobody’s happy sitting on the bench, not playing — but like I said before, there’s not too much I can do. Just be ready. Work on yourself and once your chance came, try to prove it. I want to forget about this game as soon as I can because I want to stay ready, stay aggressive.”

There’s more this morning out of Chicago:

Rondo’s start came at the expense of Jerian Grant, who became the latest Bulls point guard to go from the starting lineup to out of the rotation, notes Joe Cowley of The Sun-Times. Grant’s playing time has been cut severely over the past week and he never left the bench in Monday’s game. “It’s hard to play when you’re looking over your shoulder after every play,’’ Grant said. “But when you’re out there, you’re playing to win. Whoever [coach Fred Hoiberg] puts out there, that’s what you have to do. You have to be mentally tough. But when there are four other guys fighting for that same position you’re in, it’s hard not to look over your shoulder.”
Mirotic is not part of the Bulls’ long-term plans, Cowley states in the same story.
Financial realities may force Dwyane Wade to spend another season in Chicago, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The two-year deal Wade signed in July includes a $23.8MM player option for next season. Winderman doesn’t believe any contender will offer Wade nearly that much, so he may decide to opt in and not test the market again.

Central Notes: Pistons, Parker, Rondo

February 26th, 2017 at 10:42pm CST by Austin Kent

Rumors swirled around Pistons players as the NBA’s trade deadline approached but as Thursday came and went, the Detroit roster went unchanged. Stan Van Gundy spoke with Aaron McMann of MLive about the club’s lack of activity.

“Look, we’re not real happy with how we’ve played up to this point overall, but we still do have a young group,” Van Gundy said of the now 28-31 Pistons.. “And as much as you would like the progress to be steadily up hill, it’s not always. That doesn’t mean that you lose faith in your guys.”

The Pistons have struggled since starting guard Reggie Jackson returned to the lineup in early December, previously he had been recovering from a knee procedure and Ish Smith had stepped in to man the point. Over the course of the past month, Jackson’s name has been linked to the Timberwolves in a possible two- or three- team trade, potentially involving the Knicks.

“You don’t want to get that deal fever where you just want to make a deal so badly that you end up making a bad one,” he said. Considering that Andre Drummond and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, two names that came up as possible trade candidates at the deadline, are just 23 and 24 years old respectively, patience may still pay off.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Though 2014 second-overall pick Jabari Parker will miss the remainder of this season and part of next season recovering from a torn ACL, his second drastic injury in the past three seasons, the Bucks didn’t consider dealing him at the deadline, tweets Stephen Watson of WISN 12 News. “Absolutely not,” general manager John Hammond told Watson, when asked explicitly.
It’s not clear whether the Bulls will embrace a rebuild or continue to push to win now and the continued presence of Rajon Rondo in the lineup embodies the organization’s indirection, Nick Friedell of ESPN writes.
After a pair of 10-day contracts with the Hornets, former Pistons guard Ray McCallum – one of the last cut by the Pistons during training camp – is back in the D-League with Detroit’s affiliate in Grand Rapids. The point guard is averaging 17.8 points and 7.5 assists per game with the Drive so far this season.

Bulls Notes: Rondo, Butler, Hoiberg, Gibson

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls don’t plan to buy out Rajon Rondo, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. GM Gar Forman confirmed that tonight, telling reporters the organization would rather hold onto the veteran point guard and use his contract as a trade chip in the offseason. Rondo signed a two-year deal with Chicago in July, but only $3MM of his $13,397,000 salary for next season is guaranteed before June 30. Rondo’s time with the Bulls has been a disappointment, as he was benched briefly, then relegated to the second unit. Although he has been effective in that role, there’s no guarantee it will continue after today’s trade for Cameron Payne.

There’s more post-deadline news out of Chicago:

The Celtics were willing to include one of the Nets’ first-rounders in trade talks for Jimmy Butler, but sources tell Johnson that Boston wanted to place protections on it (Twitter link). The scope of those protections was not released.
Bulls executive John Paxson says the organization wouldn’t commit to rebuilding without “certainty” and never got close to that in any of the offers for Butler (Twitter link). He acknowledges that trade discussions with the Celtics will probably start again by June, and insists Chicago’s playoff fate won’t factor into the decision on Butler (Twitter link).
Paxson hasn’t wavered in his support for coach Fred Hoiberg, saying there has been growth in his second season behind the bench (Twitter link).
The deal that sent Taj Gibson to Oklahoma City was made to create more playing time for Bobby Portis and Denzel Valentine (Twitter link). “When you’re trying to develop a team with young players, you need them to get on the floor,” Paxson said (Twitter link).
Gibson said he knew of eight teams that were trying to trade for him (Twitter link). “The hardest part was seeing people’s faces on the way out,” Gibson said in a radio interview. “It’s family.”
Gibson would consider coming back to Chicago “at the right price,” tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. He will be a free agent this summer after making $8.95MM this season. Gibson also indicated that he would consider being a coach with the Bulls when his playing days are finished (Twitter link).

Bulls Leaning Toward Keeping Jimmy Butler

February 20th, 2017 at 4:45pm CST by Milo Taibi

According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, there is a growing feeling around Jimmy Butler‘s camp that the three-time All-Star won’t be moved at this year’s deadline. Sources told Cowley that while the Bulls have taken multiple inquiries on Butler, they haven’t been pursuing trade talks.

Cowley observed that Butler trusts GM Gar Forman enough to believe he won’t be traded. The Celtics have consistently been connected with Butler in trade rumors- Isaiah Thomas cooed over Butler’s skill-set during the All-Star break- but the Bulls’ front office is hesitant to forfeit their chances at a playoff run.

The Bulls currently occupy the seven seed in the Eastern Conference with a 28-29 record. As Cowley points out, entering sell-mode this season would eliminate any chance of retaining Dwyane Wade over the offseason.

While the Bulls are unlikely to deal their most prized asset, other rotation pieces- Rajon Rondo, Nikola Mirotic, Taj Gibson– could still be on the move. Earlier this month, Doug McDermott and Robin Lopez were mentioned in trade talks as well.

Central Notes: Bulls, Jackson, Bucks

February 7th, 2017 at 5:58pm CST by Austin Kent

The Bulls are in a tough spot trying to make trades before the deadline while remaining in a position to be competitive, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune in a weekly mailbag post. Johnson confirms previous reports that Nikola Mirotic and Rajon Rondo have been made available but suggests that Taj Gibson‘s status would be a better judge of the front office’s mindset heading forward.

Gibson, a 31-year-old eight-year veteran, has averaged 11.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game for the Bulls, emerging as a stable source of leadership in the starting lineup. Shopping him, Johnson suggests, would be considered aggressive. The scribe also speculates that the forward could be offered in exchange for a first-round pick, but Johnson doesn’t see that happening.

Also of note out of the Tribune’s Bulls mailbag is the implication that 24-year-old Cristiano Felicio may be better suited as a reserve player than as a starter for the foreseeable future. Johnson applauds the big man’s athleticism and notes his room for offensive improvement but goes on to suggest that current starting center Robin Lopez‘s contract, which stretches through 2018-19, renders the idea a non-issue.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Asked if he was bothered by the fact that the Bulls‘ front office hasn’t explicitly stated that their small forward is off the market, Jimmy Butler claimed to be unphased. “Nope, I don’t care,” he told the media on Monday.
In response to Stan Van Gundy saying that “everybody is available,” Aaron McMann of MLive ranked Pistons players based on how likely they are to be traded before the February 23 deadline. Heading the list is Aron Baynes, while Reggie Bullock and Reggie Jackson round out the top three. Jackson, it’s worth mentioning, would presumably bring in the biggest haul, despite the fact that his numbers have declined from last year.
It became clear that the Bucks are willing to shake up their roster when they moved Miles Plumlee for Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes. Now Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times believes that another trade – one for backcourt support – could be in order as the team struggles in the new year. Before Saturday’s victory over the Suns, the Bucks had lost 10 of their previous 11.
He may not be called upon specifically, but Lavoy Allen is a smart basketball player capable of filling a role, writes Mark Montieth of Pacers.com. The 28-year-old vet, whose recorded 12 DNP-CDs already this season, broke out over the weekend with an 18-point, 11-rebound performance. “He’s been doing what we know he’s capable of doing,” Pacers head coach Nate McMillan said. “Solid defender, he rebounds the ball, plays the pick and roll. […] He just plays in the flow of the game. We didn’t run plays for him, he was just making reads.”

Central Notes: Cavaliers, Chalmers, Stuckey, McHale

February 1st, 2017 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers were happy with what they saw at today’s playmaker auditions, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Mario Chalmers, Kirk Hinrich, Jordan Farmar and Lance Stephenson all participated in a workout as the Cavs search for a reliable backup to Kyrie Irving. Several sources told Vardon that the session went very well and that one or more could be signed by March 1.

There’s more tonight from the Central Divsion:

Veteran swingman James Jones thinks Chalmers, his former teammate in Miami, would be a good addition to the roster, relays Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Chalmers teamed with Jones and LeBron James on Heat teams that reached four straight NBA Finals. A torn Achilles last March has kept Chalmers out of the league, but he was medically cleared for basketball activities in August and Jones has kept in touch with him throughout rehab. “Coming back from an injury is a lonely process,” Jones said. “What I mean is that you spend a lot of time alone and learn a lot about yourself, but he’s doing well. He pushed hard, he worked hard to come back from that and he’s feeling well and moving well. I’m just glad that he’s back and doing what he loves, which is playing basketball.”
Rodney Stuckey returned to the Pacers tonight after a 15-game absence with a hamstring injury, write Jordan J. Wilson and Nate Taylor of the Lafayette Journal and Courier. Stuckey had been participating in practice and said he felt “back to normal” since last Monday, but team trainers remained cautious. Stuckey suffered a right hamstring strain during the second game of the season and sat out the next 10. He came back November 18th, but it started hurting again less than a month later. “Coming into the season, my body felt great,” Stuckey said. “It felt like I was in great shape. Mentally I was ready and then all of the sudden, boom, a hamstring. Then boom, another hamstring. I’ve never had hamstring problems in my career.”
Celtics legend Kevin McHale is backing up Rajon Rondo, who criticized Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler for going to the media with complaints about teammates last week. In an interview on Sam Amick’s A to Z podcast, McHale said success and failure in the NBA is determined by star players. “You don’t lose because your eighth man’s in a slump,” McHale said. “It’s the top players who’ve got to drive your team to win.”

Central Notes: Rondo, Middleton, Ellenson, S. Johnson

February 1st, 2017 at 6:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rajon Rondo gained respect by standing up for his “rank-and-file” teammates and is unlikely to be traded before the Feb. 23rd deadline, writes Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report. Discord in the Bulls‘ locker room was aired publicly last week when Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler both went to the media with complaints that some players don’t care enough. Rondo responded on Instagram with a post saying that the veteran leaders on his former Celtics teams never would have done that. Rondo not only improved his standing in the locker room, he has also been productive in his role with the second unit, creating shots for younger players rather than fighting Wade and Butler for the ball.

There’s more from the Central Division:

Bucks swingman Khris Middleton is getting closer to making his season debut, tweets Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He has been participating in contract drills and is expected to be ready soon, although not during the team’s current road trip. Middleton had surgery for a torn hamstring in September.
Henry Ellenson has only played in 14 NBA games, but the rookie big man has performed well enough in the D-League to the keep the Pistons optimistic about his future, according to Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Ellenson averaged 20 points and nine rebounds per game during his most recent trip to Grand Rapids. Langlois notes that he was taken with the pick that Detroit traded last year for Donatas Motiejunas then regained when the deal was rescinded. “I think the guy is a really, really talented offensive guy and I have great confidence in his work ethic, that he’ll work at it and get better,” said coach/executive Stan Van Gundy.
Pistons second-year swingman Stanley Johnson credits weight loss for his increased playing time, relays Rod Beard of The Detroit News. Johnson has dropped about 15 pounds and has become a reliable backup to shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. “The two things to me are he’s gotten in shape — which he wasn’t to start the year — and he’s gotten much more coachable,” Van Gundy said.