NBA: 10 candidates for bounce-back seasons in 2017-18

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4. Rajon Rondo

It’s amazing how two strong playoff performances can skew public perception of an entire season, but based on Rajon Rondo‘s only two playoff games against the Boston Celtics, you’d have thought he had one of the best seasons of his career with the Chicago Bulls.

That couldn’t be further from the truth. Though he led the Bulls to a 2-0 series lead against the top-seeded Celtics by averaging 11.5 points, 10.0 assists and 8.5 rebounds per game, and though he stuck up for his younger teammates with his passive-aggressive Instagram post, it was not a good season for the former NBA champion by any means.

He was inexplicably benched by the coaching staff on a team devoid of talent at the 1, saw his numbers drop to 7.8 points, 6.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game and shot just 40.8 percent from the field. Though he converted a career-high 37.6 percent of his 3-pointers, Rondo was not the leader or floor general the Bulls expected.

The New Orleans Pelicans need him to facilitate to offensive weapons like Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins, while also thriving in the same backcourt as Jrue Holiday. “Primetime Rondo” needs to make a nightly appearance if the Pellies want to make the playoffs.