Hoops Habit
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Chicago Bulls: 5 biggest questions from 2016-17 season

By James D. Tillman III

Jan 27, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo and forward Jimmy Butler and guard Michael Carter-Williams and guard Dwyane Wade (left to right) on the bench to start the first quarter against the Miami Heat at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 27, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo and forward Jimmy Butler and guard Michael Carter-Williams and guard Dwyane Wade (left to right) on the bench to start the first quarter against the Miami Heat at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 4, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo (9) drives to the basket past New York Knicks guard Ron Baker (31) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 4, 2017; New York, NY, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Rajon Rondo (9) drives to the basket past New York Knicks guard Ron Baker (31) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

Does Rondo deserve another chance as well?

Prior to joining the Bulls, Rondo had developed a reputation for not getting along with his head coaches. He didn’t do himself any favors when he got into a verbal altercation with assistant coach Jim Boylen, which resulted in a one-game suspension.

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After a poor showing in the first half of a December game against the Indiana Pacers (zero points, one assist and one rebound), Fred Hoiberg removed Rondo from the lineup for the next five games.

It appeared that an imminent breakup was going to take place between the two sides, but once he returned to the lineup, it became obvious that the Bulls played much better when Rondo was running the offense. This was certainly the case in the playoffs as well.

After Rondo helped pace Chicago to victories in the first two games against the Celtics, the Bulls weren’t the same team when Rondo was forced to miss the rest of the series due to a thumb injury he sustained in Game 2.

Despite nearly exiling the 11-year veteran midway through the season, general manager John Paxson gave Rondo a ringing endorsement during the team’s postseason conference.

"“To a man, our young people loved Rajon. He was great in the locker room,” Paxson said, via CSN Chicago. “He was great off the court with these guys. He took them under his wing in a lot of ways, and he was responsible for a lot of the good things that came from them. We have a lot of respect for Rajon, especially how he believes in the game. He used to drag guys into the weight room, and he held them accountable in a lot of ways.”"

The fact that Rondo gave the younger players a voice — combined with the offensive meltdown that unfolded during the playoffs when he was sidelined with an injury — more than likely indicates that we will see Rondo in a Bulls uniform next season.

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