Things took a turn Tuesday when Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle and star Rajon Rondo butted heads during a timeout, seemingly making it more likely the mercurial point guard tests free agency after the season. The New York Knicks have always been reported as interested in Rondo, but if he were to become available in July, would team president Phil Jackson want him?
Rondo and Carlisle got into a shouting match Tuesday night during a third-quarter timeout. The heated exchange followed Rondo seemingly ignoring a play-call from Carlisle on the sideline, and it resulted in Rondo sitting on the bench for the remaining 20-plus minutes of regulation. Although Carlisle later dismissed the spat as being nothing more than an emotional outburst, a report from ESPN indicated there's a growing rift between the player and the coach over who should call the plays.
"Team sources told ESPNDallas.com that friction had been building between Carlisle and Rondo over play-calling responsibilities, the majority of which the coach has handled. Former Mavs point guard Jason Kidd had similar frustrations during his first season playing with Carlisle, although it never resulted in a public outburst," ESPN's Tim MacMahon wrote Wednesday.
Rondo has a reputation for being difficult to coach, and the disagreement over play-calling responsibilities could be enough to convince him to test free agency in July. If he were to explore his options, the Knicks will likely be linked to him.
New York has been reported as interested in Rondo for years, but it's uncertain whether Jackson shares the same infatuation. Despite his drop in production since arriving in Dallas, there's no question Rondo is an elite point guard. The question is whether Jackson, who will have around $30 million in cap space this summer, views Rondo as a coachable player who can not only learn the triangle system but also excel in it.
Working against Rondo is his age and his weak outside shooting, something which guards in Jackson's system typically can't have. Although Rondo doesn't seem like the ideal fit for the triangle offense Jackson has traditionally employed, it's possible Jackson - and coach Derek Fisher - make tweaks over the summer to make the system more accommodating to Rondo's skill set.
