NBA Rumors: Rajon Rondo Already Whining About Coach George Karl?
NBA rumors shine a negative light on Rajon Rondo again. The latest NBA rumors have Rondo complaining about George Karl, making him yet another coach that the former All-Star point guard has had problems with. A report from CBS Sports states that Rondo and Karl have already been at odds during the preseason, with the pair having disagreements on the sidelines. Rondo even stated, “It’s not been going too well. We got into a couple arguments the last couple days. Hopefully we continue to talk and get better.”
This isn’t exactly a new situation for Rondo as he has been in disagreements with several different coaches in his past. It includes Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle during the 2014-15 NBA season and goes all the way back to Tubby Smith at the University of Kentucky. Rondo has a reputation that is growing worse during his tenure in the league, possibly leading to very little interest in him during this past free agency period.
The Sacramento Kings took a risk on Rondo, offering him a one-year deal worth $9.5 million in the offseason. This stop in Sacramento was seen as a way for him to increase his value and earn a bigger contract in the next NBA offseason. Instead, he may be further harming his value in the league, especially if he remains at odds with George Karl. The next round of NBA rumors about Rajon Rondo could include the Kings trading him to yet another team.
During five preseason games, Rondo has averaged 22.2 minutes for the Kings. He is also averaging 6.2 points, 5.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.4 steals, and 2.4 turnovers per game. Those aren’t bad numbers for a point guard, and Rondo is also shooting 52 percent from the field. If he can find a way to keep his field goal percentage around that mark, he might be in line for the best numbers of his career.
It’s unclear what the problems have been between Rondo and Karl, but it is rumored that it could have to do with the plays being run on the court. As a team, the Kings have played very well so far in the NBA preseason, posting a 4-1 record that leads the Pacific Division. The Kings average 100.6 points per game and have held opponents to 97.8 points on just 42 percent shooting from the field. If the Kings are playing defense for the first time in years, Karl may have this team heading toward the playoffs as well.
With players like DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay leading the way, the Kings might be able to surprise opponents in the Western Conference. The Sacramento Kings also have a number of really good roles players now, with Marco Belinelli, Darren Collison, Kosta Koufos, and Ben McLemore giving the roster a lot of depth. If Rajon Rondo can help George Karl pull it all together, it’s possible that the Kings could finally be selling playoff tickets to fans again. What simply cannot happen is a lot of in-fighting that takes away from any positive direction the team has started moving in.
The front office in Sacramento has to make sure that the complaints Rajon Rondo is making in the press come to an end, and the point guard and coach George Karl get on the same page. Otherwise, this could turn into another long season for fans where expectations and talent simply don’t turn into enough games going into the win column. In a wide-open Western Conference, the Kings could really make some noise if the team can just get along and stay healthy. Bickering will just lead to more NBA rumors about the team dealing DeMarcus Cousins in order to completely rebuild.
[Image Source: Christian Petersen and Ezra Shaw / Getty Images]
