The offseason will be here quite soon, and a lot of teams need to make big decisions. One of those teams is the Dallas Mavericks. They are going to face a very tough decision, as only one between Rajon Rondo and Monta Ellis can remain with the squad. Both players are free agents this summer, but based on their lack of chemistry on the court, the Mavericks need to realize that they can sign only one of them.
Putting Monta Ellis, and Rajon Rondo on the same team never looked like the perfect things. The Mavericks knew that, but they decided to give it a shot. However, both guards are ball-dominant and limited offensively. Nevertheless, their skills have absolutely nothing in common. Rondo is a player that has amazing handles and magnificent court vision. However, he lacks a decent shooting touch and can’t play off the ball. On the other hand, Ellis is one of those players that need the ball to have a good game. Like Rondo, he can’t play off the ball and requires it to attack the rim and score points.
During their time together, neither player has been able to overcome its weakness of playing without the ball. Rick Carlisle tried to turn Ellis into a spot-up shooter, but his shooting percentage went significantly down during the period. The other scenario of turning Rondo in a shooter is a very, I repeat, a very bad idea.
Ellis recently made a statement in which he states he will try harder to improve his on-court chemistry with Rajon Rondo:
“There’s no problem (with Rondo). Rondo is a great asset on both ends of the floor. It takes a while for the player to get really adjusted to a new system, new personalities, figuring out where guys want the ball. I think it’s going to work out for the best for us once we get over the hump.”
However, it’s not that simple. It’s hard for a guy to play a style that is very away from his usual. Ellis has never been a spot-up shooter while Rondo has never been a shooter. When only one of them is on the court, the Mavericks are playing pretty satisfying basketball. However, when they are both in the game, the situation is less than decent.
The Dallas Mavericks will have a pretty hard time figuring out on which player to rely in the future. As both are great players, the payments will most likely determine which of them is going to stay. Rajon Rondo will most likely demand a max contract deal, which is something that he definitely isn’t worth. He has a lot of abilities, but since he tore his ACL he lacks the athleticism he used to have. Furthermore, Rondo is a terrible shooter and for a point-guard it’s a very bad quality to lack. Plus, good point guards are pretty easy to find these days.
As a conclusion, it can be said that Rondo isn’t worth the money he will ask for in the summer. In my opinion, the Dallas Mavericks should pick Monta Ellis if they want a brighter future.
NBA News: Monta Ellis or Rajon Rondo - the biggest question for the Dallas Mavericks in the offseason
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