Community Shootaround: Rondo, Mirotic

A month ago, it seemed clear that Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic were on their way out of Chicago. Now it’s less certain than it used to be.

Rondo and Mirotic have emerged as unlikely leaders as the Bulls fight for one of the East’s final playoff spots. At 35-39, they entered tonight’s action one game behind the eighth-place Heat but just three games out of the fifth seed.

Rondo has reclaimed the starting point guard role and taken control of the Bulls’ offense. He barely missed a triple double Sunday in a crucial win at Milwaukee and looks comfortable running the team for the first time all season. It’s a far cry from mid-January when he was relegated to the bench and stayed in shape by playing pickup games at an area middle school.

Rondo proclaimed himself one of Chicago’s “three alphas” along with Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade after signing a two-year deal worth nearly $27.4MM in July. But it’s not clear if that view was ever shared by the Bulls’ front office, who traded for one point guard, Michael Carter-Williams, in October, and another, Cameron Payne, last month.

But Rondo may be changing minds with his recent play. Bulls.com beat writer Sam Smith recently stated that it’s “no longer ridiculous” that the team might pick up Rondo’s $13.397MM option for next season. Chicago’s desire for cap room will certainly factor into that decision, as just $3MM of Rondo’s deal is guaranteed through June 30th.

Mirotic’s turnaround may be even more remarkable. He was being held out of games just two weeks ago, but has bounced back to become a key part of the Bulls’ offense. He has scored 28, 15 and 28 points in his last three games. Mirotic will be a restricted free agent this summer, so Chicago will have the option to match any offer he gets.

That brings us to tonight’s question: Should the Bulls bring back Rondo and Mirotic next season or should they look for other players to fill those roles? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.

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