Rajon Rondo accuses Rick Carlisle, Mavericks of having him fake back injury to get him out of rotation

Run It Back: Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen put boxing gloves on and really threw hands 😳 @RajonRondo : “There was no point in talking about each other behind each others back, let’s just fight as men” -via Twitter / May 28, 2024

Rudy Gobert moved up from No. 92 to No. 89 in the rebounding all-time list after passing Cliff Hagan, Rajon Rondo, Terry Cummings -via HoopsHype / May 27, 2024

Rajon Rondo: “People don’t know, like, my rookie year, I wanted to get traded. I was calling my agent, calling my high school coach, ‘Man, get me out of here, like this ain’t it.’ I felt like I was doing what I had to do in practice. I wanted to play, and we lost 18 straight that year. So I’m like, ‘Goddamn, like shake something up, do something different.’ Doc told me some things that didn’t come to light, and I was like, ‘Damn, like get me out of here.’ I stayed down, like cream rises to the top. I kept working. I’m at my mom’s house, and I see my name on the TV. It’s like seven names on that [__]. We going to Minnesota. I’m like, ‘Oh yes, get me out of here.’ But I’m like, ‘Damn, Minnesota, ah, but whatever. Don’t worry about it, now I get to play, right?’” -via YouTube / May 6, 2024

Tony East: “He has gotten to see, over the last few months, what wins… his workouts this summer are going to be geared toward fast, efficient, quick decision making, and getting better defesively,” Rick Carlisle says of Bennedict Mathurin. -via Twitter @TonyREast / May 28, 2024

Tony East: “The first step is to begin recruiting Pascal Siakam in earnest,” Rick Carlisle says of the Pacers path forward. -via Twitter @TonyREast / May 28, 2024

Carlisle commended Turner for strengthening his body so he could play 94 of 99 possible games this year, the most he’s ever suited up for in his career, after playing a career-low 42 games in 2021-22 because of a stress reaction in his left foot. Carlisle also praised Turner’s skill set and character, with backup point guard T.J. McConnell adding that the latter trait doubles as a north star for a team on the rise. “He’s been through trade rumors. He’s been through rebuilds. He’s been through it all,” said McConnell, who’s been teammates with Turner for the past five seasons. “But the professionalism he’s shown throughout (the hardships), there aren’t many like him on and off the court. … To have a guy like that here, among the other guys, and showing the young guys the way, it’s unbelievable.” -via New York Times / May 28, 2024