Sad, frustrated, and disappointed Chicago Bulls fans who had to bid goodbye to star point guard Derrick Rose may have a new cause for celebration: the arrival of All-Star guard Rajon Rondo.
Not long after Derrick Rose was shockingly traded to the New York Knicks and big man Joakim Noah left the team to join him, ESPN reports that Rondo and the Bulls have reached a two-year deal that sees the former NBA champion earning around $28 million. "I'm excited. Great organization with pieces around me that I'm excited about," Rondo said to ESPN's The Undefeated.
Rondo's two-year deal only sees a partially-guaranteed second season. Although we don't know the full details of his contract just yet, that means that should he still be with the team at a certain point in time (perhaps within next year) he will get the remaining part of the $28 million he hadn't yet received, no matter what happens. Otherwise, he isn't entitled to the money.
The partially-guaranteed deal makes sense as while Rondo is a talented point guard, he has been notorious for his attitude problems, especially defiance towards coaches and executives he doesn't respect. In joining the Chicago Bulls, Rondo has now been on four teams in the last two years, after the Boston Celtics traded him to the Dallas Mavericks back in 2014, and then leaving the Mavericks to sign with the Sacramento Kings until the end of the last season.
Rondo has not won a championship since winning the 2008 NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics. With the Kings, Rondo led the NBA in assists after averaging 11.7—part of a double-double-averaging season, his first since the 2012-2013 season with the Boston Celtics. He clearly has a penchant for finding the open man after being able to make 10 assists in 51 games last season.
