Chicago Bulls: Moving on from Rajon Rondo is a step in the right direction

The Chicago Bulls have waived Rajon Rondo, a wise move that was best for the franchise going forward.

Well, that was short-lived. After only one season, Rajon Rondo‘s time with the Chicago Bulls is over. The Bulls announced on Friday that they have waived Rondo and fellow point guard Isaiah Canaan.

The Bulls signed Rondo to a free agent contract last offseason to be a part of their “Three Alpha” plan along with Jimmy Butler in Dwyane Wade. However, the three never really made sense together on the court and the Bulls were never anything close to being serious contenders.

After the Bulls traded Jimmy Butler to the Minnesota Timberwolves, starting their much-needed rebuild, moving on from Rondo always made the most sense.

Rondo was good in 2017

Rondo had an up-and-down season with the Bulls, but he really did play well down the stretch. He was a major part of the reason they even made the playoffs and undoubtedly helped them get a 2-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in the first round. That being said, Rondo broke his thumb in Game 2 of the series and the Bulls fell apart.

He undoubtedly still has more to bring to the table, but the 31-year-old point guard simply does not make sense on this roster.

The next wave

The Chicago Bulls were wise to part ways with Rondo, opening up opportunities for the young point guards on their roster. Point guard is now Kris Dunn‘s position to lose. Dunn had a bad rookie season in Minnesota, but he still has some nice upside going forward.

Dunn can be a significant defensive presence at the point guard position and has the speed and athleticism to make plays on the offensive end as well. His inability to shoot from the outside is an issue, but the Bulls will now be able to give him ample playing time to figure it all out.

Moving on from Rondo also creates an opportunity for the Bulls to see if they can salvage anything out of Cameron Payne. Payne still has a bit of upside at the point guard position and the Bulls may as well see what he can bring to the table. Who knows, maybe he will become a decent backup option or trade asset.

Next: Why Kris Dunn can break out with the Bulls

Rondo was solid for the Bulls last season and can still help an NBA team. That being said, moving on from him was clearly the right move to make. This franchise is heading down a deep rebuild and there is no reason to have a guy like Rondo taking minutes away from young players who need to grow on the court.