The Dallas Mavericks traded for Rajon Rondo midway through the first half of the season in hopes that he would be the final piece to their championship puzzle. With Dirk Nowitzki's time in Dallas officially reaching its end, the time is now for Dallas to capitalize and try for another championship. Rondo was expected to help in the effort in the short-term and long-term however drama between the point guard and head coach Rick Carlisle have many thinking the relationship might end sooner than expected.
According to ESPN's Tim McMahon, Rondo is not expected to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks in free agency after drama with Carlisle came to blows earlier in the week as the two got into a shouting match courtside and the point guard was suspended for a game. When Mark Cuban traded for Rondo from the Boston Celtics he made it clear the point guard was not a one-season rental for Dallas, but the star might start having other plans as he demands more control of the play calling on offense.
Rondo has struggled with Dallas. He no longer needs to be the star with players like Chandler Parsons and Monta Ellis taking care of shooting duties and that has hurt the point guard's ability to find his role on the team. Rondo is only shooting 41.2 percent with the Mavericks while averaging just 9.0 points and 6.2 assists in the process. Given the Mavericks gave up Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson and first-round draft pick to acquire the point guard, they likely expected more from him.
Right now, the Mavericks are not thinking about the failure of the Rondo trade. They need the point guard to step things up as they sit in fifth in the Western Conference. Dallas cannot afford to fall apart in the second half of the season. However, the long-term outlook for the Mavericks likely does not include the point guard. Rondo's contract is still set to expire and several teams are watching this situation unfold as they prepare to make a move. The Houston Rockets, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers all need long-term point guard players and Rondo can still be that guy going forward.