Rajon Rondo signed a one-year, $10 million make-good contract with the Sacramento Kings last offseason and he followed it up with a two-year, $28 million deal with the Chicago Bulls that contains a mutual option. This is the NBA equivalent of moving in together before marriage.

Rondo remains one of the NBA’s most talented passers but he’s lost the energy on the defensive end that was his trademark during his peak with the Celtics before his ACL tear. Rondo is no longer the plus-defender ballhawk he was and the Kings were 1.4 points per 100 possessions better on defense without Rondo.

Rondo was one of the NBA’s worst transition scorers this past season though he did shoot a career best 36.5 percent on three-pointers, which was comfortably a career high as were his attempts at 170. Rondo shot just 58.0 percent from the line a season after shooting 39.7 percent. 

So many aspects of Rondo’s game are frustratingly enigmatic and none more than his shooting. I remember watching him in shootaround before every game of the 2010 Finals and he would so comfortably and confidently hit three-pointers with his headphones on, but it would never translate as teams began to severely sag off him. His fit with all of Boston's shooters was even more perfect in hindsight than it felt at the time.

Rondo remains one of the NBA’s better pick and roll creators with his passing and craftiness finishing around the basket.

The Bulls traded away Derrick Rose a season before his free agency and they now arguably have a better point guard in Rondo. While Rondo may have a career full of baggage, at least there’s no bad blood. We haven’t seen Rondo fully engaged and in a good situation since before his ACL injury and the mental part of his game has always been as meaningful as where he’s at physically. The Bulls have been a toxic, unstable mess for several seasons now and it is hard to imagine this period of transition will create the type of environment where Rondo can thrive again.

Chicago had to trade away Rose and did well in acquiring a solid center on a below market contract in Robin Lopez. But the Bulls didn’t need a ball dominant, high profile point guard who more than likely still can’t shoot and has become disinterested in defense. The Bulls appeared to be close to trading away Jimmy Butler and starting from scratch around Kris Dunn and Nikola Mirotic while tanking for a high pick in one of the better draft classes over the past few years. 

The Bulls are in a weird limbo where they’re not trying to get meaningfully better even though they have a top-20 player in his prime in Butler and they’re also not resetting the roster to build around him. Butler still has three more seasons before he can become a free agent, so there’s time for the Chicago front office but this is a clear lateral move unless they honestly think Rondo is a logical fit and will regain his pre-2013 form. Gar Forman and John Paxson themselves don't seem to even know what they want to be at this point.

Rondo will inevitably clash with Fred Hoiberg and this is a signing that would make more sense if Tom Thibodeau was still head coach. Thibodeau could at least get Rondo to recommit on defense and would command his respect. The Bulls can cut ties with Rondo after one season so the risk is minimal, but I would have preferred them to instead re-sign E'Twaun Moore and let Butler have all of the ball or really see out Hoiberg's motion offense.

Grade for Bulls: C+

Rondo was once an embraced eccentric in a league where stars tend to either be as bland as possible, or tailor themselves to what they think people want them to be. Rondo has always been unapologetically himself both on and off the floor. This has probably cost him a lot of money in the short-term and long-term over these past two seasons.

Before Stephen Curry was on the NBA’s best non-rookie contract, it was Rondo’s five-year, $55 million extension signed in 2009 that was the most team-friendly deal in the league. Rondo will be right around $100 million in career earnings if he gets both years of this deal, which is certainly a solid take for a 21st overall pick but his financial timing has been dreadful now on multiple occasions.

Rondo was once one of my favorite players in the league and I thought he could be a top-10 player if he ever moved past his mental block as a shooter. The hope is gone and is all the more unfortunate with how he's no longer the defensive player he was in his youth.

Grade for Rajon Rondo: C-