The Dallas Mavericks have reportedly opted not to give point guard Rajon Rondo a playoff share as he looks set to leave the franchise this summer.
READ MORE:
Lakers want Rondo at low price: Rondo’s stock has fallen.
Carlisle says Rondo was risk worth taking: Mavs coach fell out with point guard.
Rondo planned to sign with Lakers: Mavs star wanted LA switch.
Rondo was acquired by the organisation ahead of the trade deadline back in February, but he endured a torrid time in Dallas as he fell out with coach Rick Carlisle in the regular season and then had further issues in the playoffs.
The Mavs listed him as out with a back injury after two games and ruled him out for the rest of the post-season, thus ending his time with the organisation. However, sources suggested that the two parties had actually reached a mutual agreement to go their separate ways.
According to ESPN, the other 14 players on the roster evenly divided $208,940, which is the amount that is awarded to teams that lose in the first round of the playoffs.
With the Houston Rockets defeating the Mavs 4-1 in their opening round series, it is understood that the players didn’t choose to exclude Rondo from the share, but they were merely presented with a list that did not include him, and none of them objected.
The 29-year-old will be a free agent this summer and is guaranteed to now move on with the Los Angeles Lakers still the favourites to sign him having shown a long-term interest in him.
Carlisle insisted that it was a risk worth taking in signing him when they did, but ultimately it didn’t work out as planned and so Rondo’s stint in Dallas ends as a failure despite showing initial promise.
It remains to be seen what kind of offers he receives given that his stock has certainly dropped this past year, with the Lakers reportedly not looking to pay too much to sign him.
COMMENTS