Is it time already to say that the “Rajon Rondo in Chicago” experiment didn’t work as expected?
The former Boston Celtics star has struggled badly with the Chicago Bulls, and he’s not the answer the team needs at the PG role. To make things worse, Rondo was benched for a couple of games and even threatened the management with leaving the team via trade before the deadline. All of this while averaging a paltry 6.6 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 28.1 minutes per game. Needless to say, all these numbers are below his career averages.
So yeah, Rondo will likely be the scapegoat for the fans this season. But the Bulls’ problems are far bigger than that. The lack of production from the point guard spot is certainly an issue, but it’s not the biggest one. It goes on a deeper level, and it starts with the head coach and the management.
First of all, it’s clear Fred Hoiberg hasn’t had an easy transition to the NBA as expected. The former Iowa State head coach hasn’t had the same results he had at the college level. Furthermore, it’s seems his style it’s just not suitable for today’s NBA. Or at the very least, he doesn’t have the players to execute it.
Which takes to our next point: the roster construction. Chicago should use a system based on outside shooting, but the roster is far from ideal for that. It’s just a matter of analyzing the players Hoiberg has at his disposal:
The starting backcourt of Rondo and Dwyane Wade can’t hit a three to save their lives. Jimmy Butler isn’t very good from distance either. Doug McDermott has dealt with injuries and inconsistencies. Nikola Mirotic has regressed to the point that he’s reportedly on the open market. And Rondo’s backup, Michael Carter-Williams, is simply not a good shooter.
The bigs also have a fair share of blame in Chicago’s lack of success this season. Robin Lopez has been outmuscled on the paint every single night. Taj Gibson can’t do everything on his own. And as we mentioned before, Mirotic has regressed to the point he’s a non-factor in the rotation.
We can go ahead and criticize Rondo for his attitude. We can criticize him for his poor effort on both ends of the court. Even his problems with the coaching staff can become a distraction. But it’s unfair to put all the blame on his shoulders.
The Bulls have been very bad this season, but it’s a problem that affects several areas of the franchise. And the lackluster play of a veteran point guard is not an excuse to justify all the other things that have happened.