Dallas Mavericks: It’s Time For Rajon Rondo To Hit The Road
As the Dallas Mavericks reach the brink of elimination, Rajon Rondo might have already dug his own individual grave in Big D
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There’s a very fine line between being Kobe Bryant and trying to be Kobe Bryant. And then there’s Rajon Rondo, who, in an attempt to be as arrogant and self-absorbed as Kobe, has failed miserably.
And there are two problems with that.
One, Rondo doesn’t have the reputation of success that Kobe carries. And two, he’s not really that good anymore.
Wait, no. I’m lying. Let me amend that.
He’s not good. At all, anymore.
And while you can argue that he didn’t really fit the scheme that Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle likes to run, or the fact that he was brought in midseason and hasn’t gotten an offseason and/or training camp to gel with his teammates, there’s still that huge monkey in the room that screeches washed up.
Rondo’s numbers have fallen off a cliff since he suffered that torn ACL injury in 2012. This season, Rondo is only averaging nine points, five rebounds and eight assists per game. Quite frankly, for all the trouble and distractions he’s brought upon the Mavs it just isn’t worth it.
Although, we couldn’t fully come to that conclusion until we realized what Rondo has revealed to us in the last few days – that playoff Rajon Rondo, a Basketball Twitter folk hero, does not in fact exist anymore.
And now, after his latest stunt, Rondo just isn’t worth the trouble. If he can’t even level up his game in the playoffs, after a sub-par regular season, then it’s time for him to hit the road.
During Game 2 of the Mavs’ first round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, Rondo really decided the person he wanted to be – and leave the Mavs as. It didn’t have to be this way. He could’ve gone away quietly and, perhaps, nobly. He decided to go out in flames, instead. Because that’s what Rajon Rondo does.
Instead of trying to will his teammates, from the sideline, to victory, after he was benched by Carlisle for poor play, he decided to act immature and cost his team more than anything.
In the third quarter, in what seemed like a matter of seconds, Rondo picked up two dumb fouls and a technical foul by grabbing James Harden. Seems smart. That’s Rondo.
After that move, Carlisle removed him from the game and he never returned. That was the last time we saw Rondo in Game 2 – and perhaps the last time we’ll see him in a Mavs uniform.
Rajon Rondo refused to comment. Walked out with headphones in ears and ignored questions.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 22, 2015
Ironically Rondo, who becomes an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, is free to sign anywhere he pleases. He won’t be forced into a habitat that is foreign to his character.
His rumored top destination: with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Poetic justice, or something like that.
And perhaps that’s the best place for him. Somewhere where there’s another monster wired as he is. Someone that can control him. Or at least try.