The Chicago Bulls has agreed to sign free agent point guard Rajon Rondo to a two-year, $28 million deal as the replacement for Derrick Rose and resident star Jimmy Butler is said to be "unhappy" about the club's decision.
Rondo, who turned 30 last February, just finished a one-season, $9.5 million contract with the Sacramento Kings and was an unrestricted free agent this summer. He averaged 11.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and a league-leading 11.7 assists per game in 35.2 minutes of playing time per night last season. He played 72 games for the Kings and had started all of them as well.
The four-time NBA All-Star had attracted the interest of several teams this offseason, such as the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and Brooklyn Nets, but he eventually decided to join the Bulls, who will also be without veteran centers Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah as the two players had already signed with the San Antonio Spurs and Knicks respectively in free-agency.
Rondo is said to be "excited" about the possibility of playing with fellow All-Star guard Butler as they team up to potentially form one of the most dangerous backcourt duos next season.
"I'm excited. Great organization with pieces around me that I'm excited about," said Rondo, as per ESPN.
However, Butler is allegedly not sharing with the enthusiasm of the former Boston Celtic champion as rumors emerged that he was "unhappy" about the Bulls' move on Rondo.
CBS Sports' Zach Harper indicated that the 26-year-old former Marquette standout "can't be happy" about Rondo's signing as the team did not "make progress with more expensive, better options in the free agent market".
Harper said that the move is an indication that Chicago is just trying to maintain a flexible salary cap to make a run at free agents next summer, such as Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Jeff Teague, and Zach Randolph among others, after missing out on this summer's big names.
A "wasted year" of non-contention is allegedly not okay with the two-time All-Star as the Bulls are said to be in for a year of "Rondo putting up cool individual stats for a bad team", similar to what Sacramento had endured last season.