Fred Hoiberg is trying everything as the Bulls sputter along in another underwhelming season. At this morning’s shootaround, he announced that Jerian Grant will start at point guard over Michael Carter-Williams for tonight’s game against the Orlando Magic. Carter-Williams, whom Chicago received in a trade with Milwaukee last October, supplanted free agent acquisition Rajon Rondo as the team’s starting point guard in late December. The former champion with the Boston Celtics has handled his demotion with class and professionalism. However, Rondo also made it know that he doesn’t want to stick around if he remains an afterthought in Hoiberg’s rotation.
Anyone But You
This latest lineup change from the Bulls head coach is a pretty clear sign that the Rondo experiment is nearing an end. Rondo lost his job to Carter-Williams because the team’s first unit was dragging and getting off to slow starts. Hoiberg told Rajon he looked slow. Not only that, the crafty guard works best when he can handle the ball and find shots for his teammates. But Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade need the ball to create their own shots. The spacing was a mess. Unfortunately, MCW isn’t any better shooting the ball than Rondo, and the same spacing problem remains.
Enter Grant, who will make his 6th start of the season. The previous starts came out of necessity, due to injuries or a resting Wade. This time, Hoiberg made a calculated decision to bench MCW and start Grant. That difference is important. It means that Fred is convinced Rondo doesn’t fit with the first unit, and he would rather start a second year player who also has 8 DNP-Coach’s Decisions in his box score this season. Three of those eight DNPs have come in the last five games, and Grant played a combined 13 minutes in the other two. That’s the guy Hoiberg is starting over Rondo.
You think Rondo is okay with that? Nope.
Goes without saying but Grant now starting at PG only solidifies Rondo's desire to be elsewhere. Bulls have tried 2 starters over him now.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) January 24, 2017
Now What?
Chicago is reportedly shopping the veteran point guard, but they aren’t having much success finding possible suitors. Agreeing on terms of a buyout is another option, and perhaps the best of the few options on the table. Or Gar Forman and John Paxson could try convincing Rondo to finish the season in Chicago as a backup point guard, leading the Bulls’ second unit of young guys in need of guidance on the floor. That, of course, begs the question: if Rondo stays and plays backup minutes in the backcourt, won’t that just take minutes away from young guys like Grant, MCW and rookie Denzel Valentine? Yes. Yes it will.
To that end, it will be interesting to see where Rondo stacks up in Hoiberg’s ever-changing rotation tonight in Orlando. After averaging about 22 minutes per game off the bench since coming back from his stretch of DNP-CDs, Rajon only saw 6 minutes on the floor in the Bulls’ win over Sacramento on Saturday. Will he get leapfrogged by Carter-Williams now that Hoiberg is giving Grant a start? When will the Bulls finalize the necessary divorce from Rondo?
To quote another point guard who played for Hoiberg last season: “Who knows?”
