Chicago Bulls vs. Charlotte Hornets: 3 Takeaways from Another Bulls Letdown

Rajon Rondo is Rajon Rondo

We heard the spin over the summer: “He’s had some issues in the past, but Hoiberg may actually be the perfect coach for him.” “He’s hanging with the guys at Summer League. We’ve never seen him this engaged.” “There’s still an all-defensive point guard in there somewhere. He just has to be in the right situation.”

Maybe Chicago would be that right situation. Maybe Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler would be just what Rondo needed to get back to his Boston days.

Probably not, though.

Rondo makes the Bulls worse when he is on the court. There’s just no getting around it anymore. Per NBA.com, Chicago has a Net Rating of -3.9 when Rondo plays and a rating of 3.0 when he sits. In other words, the Bulls score 6.9 more points per 100 possessions when Rondo is off the court.

He’s been in and out of the rotation due to nagging injuries, leading to the random Jerian Grant start here and there. It’s difficult to find a consistent rhythm when your starting point guard is in and out of the lineup.

He needs the ball in his hand to be effective, but the Bulls seem to play better when Butler, Wade, or even Grant serves as the primary ball handler.

And then there’s this:

Even though Rondo flirted with a triple-double in Friday night’s game, those stats shouldn’t inspire too much hope. He also shot 30 percent from the field and had five turnovers. It’s hard to see how the Rondo situation turns out well this season.