Dallas Mavericks: Rajon Rondo’s Offensive Struggles Raises Questions for Future

It’s a simple question, really: One that doesn’t require a complicated thought process, but yet, in the grand scheme of it all, still needs a thorough answer.

Why is Rajon Rondo so bad offensively for the Dallas Mavericks?

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The overall question should be, “Why is Rondo bad at offense in general?” but there’s no point in explaining the main point in why the Mavericks’ floor general is not an offensive juggernaut.

There could be a plethora of reasons as to why Rondo continues to struggle offensively — his return from an ACL tear is still getting him back into game shape (which would be amazing if true), or maybe Rondo thinks he needs to do more than asked of him by Dallas in order for the Mavericks to win and be a legit contender in the Western Conference.

Whatever the case may be, his offensive production hasn’t improved since he was traded from the Boston Celtics, and no one really expected him to become a 15-point, 15-assist kind of player. Rondo has improved Dallas’ defense overall from where it was during Jameer Nelson‘s time at point guard, so there’s a plus.

But the problem with Rondo, if you can call it a problem, is that he’s not being the game changer most thought he would be. He’s not impacting the game offensively as one would like to hope, and that includes the assist totals.

Rondo has only accumulated double-digit assists twice since being acquired by Dallas, when he was averaging over 10 per game in Boston. With the abundance of offensive talent the Mavericks have, Rondo should be a guy averaging at least 10 assists per game.

Instead, his season average is now down to 8.7. And the main reason behind that is the aforementioned lack of scoring ability that Rondo is cursed with. Jameer Nelson was bad in terms of being a floor general for Dallas, but the 3-point shooting was always a possibility coming off the pick-and-roll.

Jason Kidd had that threat of a 3-point shot. Rondo doesn’t, at least not yet. We still haven’t reached the status of Playoff Rondo. Yet who even knows if Rondo can be that playoff game changer? It’s the biggest unknown right now facing the Mavericks organization.

The comparisons of Kidd were brought up when Dallas made the move for Rondo, bringing up the possibility that Rondo could be the next J-Kidd from a distributing standpoint.

Here’s the other thing Kidd had that Rondo doesn’t: a younger Dirk Nowitzki. As Dirk gets older, and puts more mileage on his body, the effects are clear when he’s missing open jumpers and shots that the Dirk of a few years ago would make.

Kidd had the ability to work with Dirk on a pick-and-roll situation, knowing that he would be open, or Kidd could attack the basket/find Tyson Chandler underneath the rim.

So then is it a matter of Rondo not thinking clearly when he has the ball? It’s a giant unknown.

The other major unknown is whether or not to bring back Rondo and pay him what he might think he deserves.

The play he’s put together in Dallas does not warrant a max contract for Rondo. Who knows if he needs an entire training camp and preseason to get really comfortable with this Mavericks team? Especially with (more than likely) a new-look roster next season, one has to look at Rondo’s offensive production and think if he should be a part of the franchise’s long-term plans.

If the choice was there between Rondo or Goran Dragic, for example, Dragic has to be at the top of the list just because of his scoring ability.

Dallas could probably hope that Rondo’s “rest” over the next week or so, thanks to these orbital and nasal fractures, and he can discuss anything with Rick Carlisle about how he fits in this offense. Rondo is a big name that would be great for the long-term endeavors of this franchise.

It’s up to him to want to be here for the long run.

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