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Sacramento Kings: Rajon Rondo’s Joke About Tension With George Karl Not Well Received

ByMark Vandeusen|
Oct 7, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo (9) dribbles the basketball up the court in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeat the Kings 102-98. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 7, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo (9) dribbles the basketball up the court in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Suns defeat the Kings 102-98. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

During a recent interview with Sacramento Kings blog Cowbell Kingdom, Rajon Rondo made some rather surprising comments about his relationship with new head coach George Karl.

When asked how he and Karl were getting along this preseason, Rondo replied:

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"“It’s not been going too well.  We got into a couple arguments the last couple days, but hopefully we can continue to talk and get better.”"

Here’s the complete video, with the above interaction coming just after the one-minute mark:

The first thought that immediately comes to mind–how did that statement possibly slip by without a follow-up question?

The answer likely explains why Rondo made such an incendiary remark in the first place: As a longtime Boston Celtics fan, I’ve seen the point guard speak with that deadpan face on countless occasions–even when he’s trying to be funny.  Knowing he was talking to a likely inexperienced reporter, Rondo thought he’d play a little practical joke.

Unfortunately for Rondo, his recent history made it easier for people to believe he was speaking truthfully rather than to assume he was kidding.  His misconstrued attempt at humor created enough of a stir that he was forced to clarify what happened:

Via CSNBayArea.com’s James Ham, Rondo said:

"“Anyone that knows me, I have a dry sense of humor, I can keep a straight face when I’m joking. Nothing between George and I. …“He was new and knew I could have some fun with it. …“As soon as the game was over, I told George that I told a reporter that we had four or five arguments last week and he laughed about it.”"

Also from Ham, Karl confirmed Rondo’s story:

"“You’re being tricked, you’re being tricked. Rondo is hilarious. My relationship with Rondo is so good, if it gets better, I’d get scared. …“Rondo and I are going to have a lot of fights, we’re going to have a lot of discussions. But it’s never been a problem.”"

In Boston, we used to call this “Rondo being Rondo.”  Good luck, Sacramento.

Next: The 10 Best Games of Rajon Rondo's Career

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