Goodbye, Rondo! With the championship + $116 million in hand, don't blame the NBA for being ruthless to you
The NBA regular season is coming to a close, and the playoffs are getting closer, but many veterans in the league wave goodbye and say goodbye to the NBA. Twenty days ago, Porter, the Warriors' 2022 champion, made the decision to officially retire, and 10 days ago, Bjelica, the Warriors' 2022 champion, also made the decision to officially end his career. Veterans don't die, but veterans will slowly retire from the NBA stage, which is an irreversible truth in competitive sports. Just today, another legendary defender, Rondo, has officially decided to retire.
Rondo personally announced his retirement on the podcast of former NBA player Barnes, and when asked if he had played his last NBA game, Rondo answered in the affirmative, saying: Yes, my NBA career is over, and I would rather spend time with my children than basketball. I am grateful for the brotherhood that has shared, connected, and grown with me over the years. I learned a lot about basketball, which made me who I am today. I always tell people that it's not my dream, it's my goal. For an accomplished NBA veteran like Rondo, the decision to retire in this way was a bit too sudden. So far, there are only 4 active players left in the NBA league class of 06 and followed, they are Lao Zhan (class of 2003), Paul (class of 2005), Lowry (class of 2006) and PJ Tucker (class of 2006).
Rondo's last NBA appearance was back in the 2021-22 season, when Rondo was bought out by the Grizzlies and signed a veteran contract with the Lakers. He played 18 games for the Lakers, averaging 3.1 points + 2.8 rebounds + 3.7 assists per game. Subsequently, Rondo was traded to the Cavaliers by the Lakers, and he played in 21 games for the Cavaliers, averaging 6.2 points + 2.8 rebounds + 4.9 assists per game. Rondo has also tried to return to the NBA after his contract expires, and his basketball IQ is unquestionable, and even if he can't contribute on the court, he is good enough to play the role of a master conductor in the locker room. In the words of fans, it would be worth the money for a championship team to sign Rondo on a veteran base salary contract, and his value is definitely above the average level of an assistant coach.
It's just that the belief in chasing dreams is always touching, the process of waiting for perfection is always long, and the sound of broken dreams is always accompanied by pain. In the last two seasons, Rondo has failed to reap the olive branch of the NBA team, and he can only use his basketball IQ on various NBA podcasts to give advice to the Heat. To make matters worse, Rondo was constantly on the sidelines, once arrested by the police for illegal possession of firearms and marijuana. I don't know if the leaves are the pursuit of the wind or the trees, but one thing is certain: Rondo's departure must be the NBA's non-retention! This is the most real NBA, as the so-called: the dragon is played by shrimp in shallow water, the tiger falls in Pingyang and is bullied by dogs; the cat is male over the tiger, and the phoenix is not as good as the chicken!
After Rondo's decision to retire, his career was highly regarded and received the most sincere blessings from inside and outside the league. The Boston Celtics officially updated social media and wrote: Rondo, congratulations on your incredible career, enjoy your retirement, and thank you for all the special moments you have shared with us as Celtics. Hawks star Trae Young also paid tribute to Rondo on his personal social media, he said: I learned a lot from my brother, enjoy retirement, you are one of the best players, former teammate Lao Zhan also said in an interview: Rondo is one of the best players I have ever worked with, his ball intelligence is frighteningly high, I am lucky to work with him!
15 years of career, 957 regular season games, 9337 points + 4350 rebounds + 7584 assists + 1518 steals + 125 blocks, a total career salary of up to $116 million, 4 times All-Star, 3 times the assist king, 1 time the steal king, 1 time the best team, 2 times the NBA championship, this series of numbers is the best footnote to your brilliant career. Rondo, don't blame the NBA and the years for being merciless to you, you can leave the NBA with your head held high, enjoy life, start a new chapter in your life, and hope that you will one day return to the NBA as a coach!