It appears Rajon Rondo has worn out his welcome with the Chicago Bulls.
The veteran point guard hasn’t played since the second half of a Dec. 30 loss to the Indiana Pacers, and head coach Fred Hoiberg has been noncommittal about Rondo’s return to the lineup, choosing to go with Michael Carter-Williams and Jerian Grant instead of the four-time All-Star.
Rondo, who signed a two-year, $28.1 million contract with the Bulls last summer, has said he would “absolutely” push for a trade or release if he wasn’t playing, so we’re taking a look at the six NBA teams that should trade for him.
Brooklyn Nets
The Nets and Rondo reportedly had a mutual interest in each other last summer, but the team ended up signing Jeremy Lin instead. Unfortunately for them, Lin has been limited to just 12 of the Nets’ 33 games this season and there is no timetable for his return from a second hamstring injury that has forced him out of the lineup since Dec. 26. Rookie Isaiah Whitehead continues to start in Lin’s place, but Rondo would be a better option, given his 10 years of experience.
Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies found out just how thin they are at point guard when Mike Conley missed nine games with a back injury earlier this season. They were forced to start second-year player Andrew Harrison, with rookie Wade Baldwin IV as his backup during that nine-game stretch. And even though the Grizzlies won seven of those games, it’s clear they need some depth behind Conley. Rondo would give them that in addition to helping their low assists totals.
Charlotte Hornets
With Lin departing for the Nets in free agency last summer, the Hornets attempted to replace his scoring and 26.3 minutes per game with Ramon Sessions, who had a decent year backing up John Wall in Washington last season. But Sessions has had just four games scoring in double figures for the Hornets and he is averaging less than 17 minutes per game. Rondo might be better suited to play behind Kemba Walker and provide Charlotte with what Lin gave them off the bench last season.
Philadelphia 76ers
Like the Nets, the 76ers were also interested in Rondo last summer, but they signed another veteran point guard instead. Jerryd Bayless was signed for $27 million over three years and would have likely been the starter for Philadelphia, but he was ruled out for the rest of the season after he underwent wrist surgery last month. The 76ers have been forced to start former EuroLeague standout Sergio Rodriguez, with second-year player T.J. McConnell backing him up. Rondo wouldn’t be contending for a title with Philly, but he would playing, something he isn’t doing with the Bulls.
Washington Wizards
With Sessions leaving the Wizards to join the Hornets in free agency, Washington was left without a backup for Wall until it traded for Trey Burke last summer. The former first-round pick played well in a backup role for the Utah Jazz last season, but he has underperformed with the Wizards, averaging just 5.1 points and 1.3 assists in 12.3 minutes per game. Wall, coming off offseason surgery on both knees, shouldn’t be playing a ton of minutes, but the Wizards don’t seem to trust Burke enough to play him more. Perhaps they would feel better about sitting Wall if an experienced veteran like Rondo came in for him.
Detroit Pistons
Reggie Jackson is starting to look like his old self after returning from a knee injury early last month that forced him out of the lineup for the first 21 games of the season. Ish Smith, who the Pistons signed in free agency last summer, started for Jackson during that 21-game stretch and played well, but the seventh-year journeyman hasn’t given the Pistons that same effort off the bench. Smith has shot 1-of-9 from the field with just three points scored in his last two games, and he averaged just 6.4 points last month despite playing 21.4 minutes per game. The Pistons were a playoff team a year ago and could benefit from having Rondo when they make their push late in the season.
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