The Dallas Mavericks and Rajon Rondo made a mutual decision to part ways the day after Game 2.

Sources say the two sides framed the reasoning as a back injury as a favor to try to help Rondo save face.

Rondo was going to be replaced in the starting lineup for Game 3 regardless of the decision.

The Mavericks felt Rondo's behavior was impacting other players, particularly Monta Ellis.

Dirk Nowitzki said he didn't regret the Rondo deal after the Mavericks were eliminated in Game 5.

“If you can get a player like Rondo, I think you go for it any time,” Nowitzki said as he walked to the team bus for the final time of his 17th season. “I don’t think anybody is looking back at that now. It was a deal that was there. It was a deal we went for it, and it just didn’t pan out for both sides, and both sides moved on.

“But Mark (Cuban) and Donnie (Nelson) always pull the trigger to make this team better. Sometimes it works, sometimes it’s a gamble and sometimes it doesn’t. So you just move on afterwards.”