Rajon Rondo: Latest News, Rumors, Speculation on Bulls PG's Future

Chicago Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo's future is up in the air as the team has failed to live up to preseason expectations.

Continue for updates.

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Bulls Reportedly Exploring Rondo Trade

Sunday, Jan. 22

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reported the Bulls are "shopping" Rondo alongside Nikola Mirotic. However, Cowley noted "neither player is generating the kind of return general manager Gar Forman wants."

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Rondo Safe Despite GM Meeting

Sunday Jan. 1

Sean Highkin of The Athletic reported Rondo's job is safe "as long as he stays professional and ready to play."

"[General manager Gar Forman] and I will talk," Rondo told reporters after not playing a single minute of Saturday night's 116-96 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. "We're going to talk tonight and we'll go from there."

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Rondo's Struggles Put Starting Spot in Jeopardy

Rondo told reporters he will "absolutely" look to facilitate a trade to another team if he is no longer part of head coach Fred Hoiberg 's rotation going forward.

Rondo recently returned to the rotation after being held out of five straight games following a scoreless performance in 11 first-half minutes in a Dec. 31 111-101 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Hoiberg benched him in favor of Michael Carter-Williams.

Hoiberg categorized the move as a basketball decision and said the benching is not necessarily permanent.

"We'll continue to evaluate it, see what direction we go," he said. "He was great over there on the bench, cheering for guys, and being professional. We'll see how it plays out and we'll evaluate it again before the next one."

Rondo was previously suspended one game for conduct detrimental to the team. He started each of his first 29 appearances, averaging 7.2 points, 7.1 assists and 6.5 rebounds per game. The Bulls got off to a promising 3-0 start but have watched their offense devolve into an impossibly clogged mess spearheaded by dribble-heavy non-shooters.

Rondo has been the worst of the starting trio with Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler, hitting just 36.9 percent of his shots. The Bulls offense has nonetheless been better with Rondo on the floor so far this season, per Basketball-Reference.com.

"[Hoiberg] told me that I've been looking slow the last five games," Rondo said. "He asks me all the time, 'Am I healthy?' I responded, saying that I think this is the best I've ever felt this part of the season, so we'll see how it goes."

It does not help matters that Carter-Williams has mostly been abysmal since returning from injury. He's shooting 35 percent from the floor and has not nearly been on the same level as a distributor. Backups Jerian Grant and Isaiah Canaan haven't fared much better, making the Bulls' point guard rotation one of the most clogged and disappointing in the league.

Rondo, known for his prickly, alpha personality, is playing for his fourth team in the last three seasons. He spent his first nine-plus years with the Boston Celtics before a move to Dallas started this nomadic period. The Bulls signed Rondo to a two-year, $28.1 million contract this summer, which may be tough to move given his combination of performance and baggage.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.