Chicago Bulls: 3 Things To Look For From Rajon Rondo

The Chicago Bulls newest point guard, Rajon Rondo, is sure to shake things up a bit this season.

It is hard to imagine the Chicago Bulls without Derrick Rose. A hometown hero since just about the second he was drafted in 2008, the point guard helped to revive the organization.

He brought to the table fast feet, a smooth pull-up and overall stardom the franchise had been missing for quite some time.

But now, with Rose starting a new beginning with the New York Knicks, the Bulls have entered a different era.

One that features Rajon Rondo at the one spot.

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The 30-year-old may not fit the bill when it comes to Chicago getting younger and/or more athletic. And he certainly carries quite a bit of baggage, regarding his attitude.

Yes, his new deal shocked not only Bulls fans, but the entirety of the league.

Plus, there is some skepticism about how well he will play alongside the likes of Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler.

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But there is still plenty to look forward to seeing from the Kentucky native.

His ball-handling, for example.

That is an area Rose just did not excel in.

While Rondo can certainly shoot the ball (having averaged 11.9 points a game last season), he is just as highly respected for his dishes. In 2015-16, he tied his career-high of averaging 11.7 assists per matchup, something he also did in 2011-12 when he played for the Boston Celtics.

And it goes beyond just the sheer number he makes. It is the type of seemingly impossible, incredible passes he is able to pull off.

Obviously, this makes for entertaining basketball, something that Chicagoans have not seen from the organization in quite some time. But beyond that, it takes the Bulls from being led by a point guard who was just interesting in scoring, to finding leadership under a playmaker.

Then there is his intensity.

Troublemaker, passionate. To-may-toe, to-mah-toe.

Rondo has definitely seen his fair share of drama. All of which, yes, was caused by him and him alone.

And there is certainly no more room for locker room or on-court antics. Chicago had enough of that, between Rose and Joakim Noah not getting along with Butler.

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However, there is no denying that the team was lackluster in mindset last year. It seemed as though no matter how close to being successful the Bulls got, they consistently gave up when the going got tough.

Heck, even head coach Fred Hoiberg was called out for not going “hard enough.”

So it is about time Chicago finds a guy motivated enough to light a fire under the team. The trick is to not let that flame burn anyone in the process.

Sure, Rondo does not have the best reputation in relation to his behavior. However in the right environment, his misplaced energy has the potential of growing from a place of anger, into drive to succeed.

And with two other stars besides him who want to win just as badly, if not more so … now is just the time for that to take place.

Rondo will probably only further develop his three-point shooting, too.

No, the 2016-17 Bulls will not be known for their beyond-the-arc accuracy.

In fact, that should be a major point of concern for them.

But it should be noted that Rondo has recently realized the league is trending towards relying heavily on three-point plays.

Having started off as merely a 20.7 percent three-point shooter during his rookie days, the veteran shot 36.5 percent last season; a definite improvement from his last year in Boston where he was shooting 25.0 percent.

So while Rondo will never be Reggie Miller, he could come out as the team’s strongest downtown shooter this season.

(Yes, that is somewhat of a scary thought.)

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Chicago may have lost a great player in Rose, known for his quick drives and sharp shooting. But they have certainly gained a handful of new skills out of Rondo. His overall high-basketball IQ, leading to top-level passing and more, gives the Bulls a new identity in 2016-17.