It seems a lifetime ago since Rajon Rondo was tearing teams apart with his exquisite passing, blinding speed, basketball IQ and his massive arms that make him a nightmare to try and score on.
Most NBA fans, analysts and experts have decided that Rondo's glory days are over after his stint with the Dallas Mavericks which were the worst 48 games of his career. He averaged only nine points per game and around six assists. His free-throw percentage was one of just five that was below 50 percent. The other four were all big men. Rondo also had the worst player efficiency rating of his career and the worst offensive and defensive ratings through his first nine seasons. To say that Rondo struggled with the Mavs is an understatement.
However, Rondo's struggles in Dallas weren't entirely his own fault. After starting the 2014-2015 season with the Boston Celtics, the University of Kentucky product was traded to Dallas for center Brandon Wright, wing stopper Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson, as well as a couple of draft picks. He was thrown into a new team halfway through a season. He had to adjust to a new style of play, a new system, new teammates and a new coach. He was thrown into a tight-knit group that was firing on all cylinders prior to the trade. In fact, a team that was heading to historical heights with their offense.
While many would argue that Rondo should have adjusted to the Mavericks' style of play better, the system that was in place simply didn't suit him. Coach Rick Carlisle's offense last season was a pick-and-roll monster that relied on Monta Ellis to be the chief playmaker and create shots for everyone else. It was heavily dependent on top-notch spacing that would give Ellis the necessary room to drive, dish and score. Dirk Nowitzki, Chandler Parsons, and before the Rondo trade, Jameer Nelson, were all called upon to make threes and create the space Ellis needed.
After the trade, Rondo slotted straight into the starting point guard position and the Mavs immediately faced a challenge. Carlisle now had a former All-Star point guard on his roster that he had to incorporate into his offense. The problem with having Rondo on the Mavs is that he doesn't space the floor. Rondo's jump shot is broken and having him partner the ball dominant Monta Ellis was a bad mix right from the word go. The Dallas offense that was originally touted to become even better than it already was, started to slowly crumble. Rondo and Ellis simply couldn't play together, which was what eventually caused the downfall of the Mavericks' season and was what led to them being knocked out in the first round by the Houston Rockets.
So now, with his reputation damaged, Rondo has landed with the Sacramento Kings on a quest to salvage his career. After signing a one-year deal, Rondo will be heading into his second straight contract year. After botching up his first one, he will have another chance to get a big contract. Since the cap will rise after this season, this is a genius move by Rondo. If he has a good season this time around, he could be looking at a big money move next July. The great thing for the Kings in this deal is that Rondo will be more motivated than ever, as he will have to know that this is his last chance to sign a large contract.
Following last season's disaster, most people have written off Rondo, but he is actually in the perfect place to bounce back. Sacramento's roster has offensive firepower to burn. 2013 seventh overall pick Ben McLemore, sharpshooting free agent signing Marco Belinelli, the high flying Rudy Gay and of course the one and only DeMarcus Cousins make for an extremely talented core group of offensive players. What they need is a point guard to feed them the ball and now they have that in Rajon Rondo.
The talent on roster is the exact type of players that Rondo loves to play with. Ben McLemore is a good shooter with a bunch of athleticism that was compared to Rondo's former backcourt mate, Ray Allen, who he may not have gotten on well with, but they were a great fit together. Belinelli gives Rondo another shooter to kick to, Rudy Gay is a natural scorer who is a close friend of Rondo and someone who will be deadly in transition with him. 'Boogie' Cousins will also benefit from playing with Rondo, especially on the pick and roll, where Cousins and his point guard could be a great combination.
Unlike in Dallas, Sacramento doesn't really have any ball dominant players that will force Rondo to play off the ball. This means that Rondo will be able to control the pace of the game and use his vision and instincts to destroy opposition defenses.
Some of the biggest doubts about Rondo on the Kings is his personality and ego and how it may clash with some members on the squad as he has done previously. Cousins is a renowned hothead who has had problems with teammates and coaches in the past, and while coach George Karl doesn't usually have issues with players, Rondo has clashed with both Doc Rivers and of course coach Carlisle in Dallas. But the reality is this could very well be Rondo's last chance in the association. If he screws this one up, his days of big contracts will be over and could be out of the league altogether. Rondo will need to show maturity in order to save his career from slipping any further. This means that the arguments, childish squabbles and complaining will have to be at a minimum for him.
Rajon Rondo has the talent and now the teammates to get back to the form he has shown in the past. If he does, this Kings offense will be one of the best in the league. Their defense has been bolstered by the addition of rookie Willie Cauley-Stein, and in his first full season with the team, George Karl should be able to get the most out of his players. In the top heavy West, where the first seven seeds have basically already been decided, if Rondo does get back to form, the Kings will have a great chance at sneaking into the postseason.