The Chicago Bulls continue to take things slowly with their vacant head-coaching position. Doing their due diligence and casting a wide net of candidates makes perfect sense for this crucial offseason, but that patient approach has already cost them a potential candidate.
With the Orlando Magic hiring San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Sean Sweeney as their new guy, the Bulls have officially lost one of their options. Considering that, perhaps Bryson Graham may want to think outside the box and give a first-timer a chance.
Rajon Rondo had a pretty decent stint in the Windy City, and he's already dipped his toes into the coaching world. Given his basketball IQ and history with the organization, perhaps they should at least give him some consideration.
The Bulls should consider hiring Rajon Rondo
Former Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers brought Rondo as a guest coach in training camp ahead of the 2024-25 season. He later served as a part-time assistant, and was one of the finalists for the New Orleans Pelicans' coaching position. It's hard to think of a more cerebral player than Rajon Rondo. Even past his prime, he was a true floor general, and his ability to dissect opposing defenses was second-to-none as a playmaker.
Rondo admittedly took Bucks guard Ryan Rollins under his wing, and he was a Most Improved Player candidate after going from 6.2 points and 1.9 assists per game in 2024 to 17.3 points and 5.6 dimes a night last season. That's development, and that's what you want with two first-round picks and multiple youngsters on the roster.
Also, he'd be a young coach himself and didn't retire that long ago, so he'd be relatable and know how to communicate with the players. His character might be a bit of a concern, and he'd probably lead the league in technical fouls for a coach, but he can also ignite that contagious competitive fire he always brought to the court.
The Bulls don't need someone to lead them to the NBA Finals right away because that's simply not realistic; that's not in their current timeline. They need a smart tactician with a knack for player development and a winner. Rondo checks all of those boxes, and he already knows what it's like to be and thrive in Chicago.
Hiring a first-year head coach always comes with risks, and not all former players are cut out for those positions. That said, it seemed to work out quite well for Steve Kerr and J.J. Redick in recent years, and they also had a bit of a temper.
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