Thanks to “conduct detrimental to the team”, Chicago Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo will sit out one game on Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers.
On Monday morning, the Chicago Bulls announced that Rajon Rondo would be suspended one game for “conduct detrimental to the team”.
Rondo will serve the one-game suspension on Monday night, as the Bulls host Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum and the Portland Trail Blazers.
As of now, there’s been no reports as to why Rondo will sit out Monday’s game other than that he’s suspended for the game.
After coming off his first triple-double as a member of the Bulls this past Friday night in a win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Rondo played one of his worst games of the season in a blowout loss against the Dallas Mavericks, shooting 1-for-4 from the field with five turnovers in the 107-82 loss.
Here’s a statement from the Bulls, courtesy of Bulls radio play-by-play man Chuck Swirsky:
"Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo has been suspended by the Bulls for one game for conduct detrimental to the team. Rondo will serve his one-game suspension tonight, when Chicago hosts the Portland Trail Blazers.On the year, Rondo has played in 17 games (all starts) and averaged 8.2 points, 7.2 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 1.41 steals in 30.5 minutes."
The last time Rondo missed time was due to ankle injury during the Circus Trip, and the Bulls actually won games against these same Trail Blazers and against the Utah Jazz during a TNT doubleheader.
The Bulls have been better with Rondo off the floor than on it, and the numbers show it.
Bulls w/ Wade/Butler on court together and No Rondo (86 mins):
— #1 Point God Stan (@samesfandiari) December 5, 2016
Ortg 118.3
Drtg 94.5
I'll let you guess if they're better or worse w/ Rondo
Numbers don’t lie, and neither has the “eye test” with Rondo on the floor with Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler and the rest of the Bulls roster.
This isn’t true, but if it was, Rondo’s suspension would be justified.
Heard Rondo said Portillo’s wasn’t that good, ergo suspension.
— Taco Trey Kerby (@treykerby) December 5, 2016
Don’t ever disgrace the great name of Portillo’s.
UPDATE: News on why Rajon Rondo was suspended one game on Monday vs. Portland
Rondo was suspended because of a heated exchange with a Bulls assistant coach on Saturday night.
Here’s Adrian Wojnarowski from Yahoo’s The Vertical with more:
Rajon Rondo -- suspended for tonight's game -- had a "heated exchange" with a Bulls assistant in Mavericks loss, sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 5, 2016
Rondo apologized to the coach and accepted responsibility in the aftermath of Bulls suspension, league sources tell @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 5, 2016
There was also this nugget from The Vertical‘s Bobby Marks on Rondo and the Bulls:
Since the Rajon Rondo suspension is above $5g and is a team rule (not NBA), Rondo has the right to file an grievance with the Bulls.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) December 5, 2016
There’s no telling what will happen with Rondo and the Bulls, but Chicago Tribune reporter K.C. Johnson noted that the Bulls and Rondo have appeared to work out the differences.
Told that Rondo snapped at coaching staff and has already apologized to coaches, teammates. Attended team function on Sunday.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) December 5, 2016
The Bulls play Portland at 7:00 p.m. CST on Monday night at the United Center.