Door Opens For Kris Dunn To Start For The Chicago Bulls As Rajon Rondo Is Waived
Rajon Rondo is officially out with the Chicago Bulls, opening an opportunity for Kris Dunn. In doing so, the Chicago Bulls took another step to rebuilding the team. It is a process that begun on the night of the NBA draft. As it is looking, it is likely that Dunn takes over for Rondo as the new starting point guard of the Chicago Bulls.
The Chicago Bulls caught no one by surprise when they waived veteran guard (courtesy of CSN Chicago) Rajon Rondo on Friday. It is a sign that the Bulls are going with a complete youth movement for next season. And it also proves that there was not a place for Rondo on the roster, even as a mentor.
Cutting ties with Rajon Rondo, who was productive near the end of the season, continues to prove what direction the Chicago Bulls wants to go in. Jettisoning Rondo is opening the door for the newly acquired Kris Dunn to take the reigns. Now that Rondo is gone, Dunn can shift his focus from being a reserve to a starter.
It may appear that the Chicago Bulls are force feeding Kris Dunn as the new starting point guard. Given the investment the Bulls made in Dunn, trading away (courtesy of the NBA website) three-time NBA all-star Jimmy Butler to acquire him, it is worth it to see what he can do.
Kris Dunn becomes the Chicago Bulls’ starter almost by default.
Jerian Grant will be entering his third season. It will be his second with the Bulls, having had a chance to take over as the Bulls’ floor general, but he failed to impress. Grant’s bid to become the Bulls’ starting point guard came and went late January.
That time period included the benching of Rajon Rondo, who admitted that he did not know why he was benched. It was the beginning of a group of head-scratching moments between the Chicago Bulls and the point guard.
Welcome to Chicago, @KrisDunn3! pic.twitter.com/YpTWtPkhG4
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) June 26, 2017
Rondo never clashed with the Chicago Bulls publicly. Things may have been different behind scenes, but Rondo remained professional during all of the turmoil.
If the Chicago Bulls can get Rajon Rondo’s professionalism from Kris Dunn, they have half the battle taking care of. If Dunn can shake off notions of his struggles last season, he could amicably fill in the role vacated by Rondo.
It is either Kris Dunn or Cameron Payne as players whom the Bulls will look at as potential starters. Age and inexperience works in both of their favors, with Dunn getting the first true shot at starting.
The door is open for the second-year point guard to shine. With Rajon Rondo out of the way, Dunn has a lot to prove next season. For the Chicago Bulls’ sake, hopefully he lives up to the expectations.
[Featured Image by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images]
