Rondo joins fray after Bulls' two-star tirade
The first rule of the NBA is a simple one: The stars run the show.
If Dwyane Wade wants to rip into teammates after a game, suggesting they don't care whether the team wins or loses, no one can make a convincing argument that Wade is wrong. He's won three NBA championships - once as his team's best player, twice as the second-best.
If his Bulls teammates aren't doing things the right way, he should get on their case. That's one of the reasons he returned to his hometown.
There's a video clip from Wednesday's 119-114 loss to Atlanta in which it looks like coach Fred Hoiberg signals that he wants a time out if Dwight Howard sinks a free throw. Butler looks back toward the bench and appears to say, "What? No."
Because the camera cuts from Hoiberg to Butler, there's no absolute proof this is what happened.
But if Butler disagreed with Hoiberg's instruction, that's just another night in the NBA. After Howard split his free throws, Butler took the ball and hit a jumper to tie the score with 44.3 seconds remaining. Problem solved.
After the Bulls squandered a 10-point lead in the final three minutes on Wednesday, Wade and Butler sent an unusually harsh message to teammates. The pair left the shower area at the same time, so it's likely they discussed the talking points ahead of time.
The message was received, at least by some Bulls. Guard Jerian Grant sent some defensive tweets after the game. One read, "I play hard TO WIN every second I'm out there, and grind every day for everything I have."
Rajon Rondo jumped into the fray with a long Instagram post Thursday afternoon criticizing the team's leadership - in other words, Wade and Butler. Rondo's post included a photo of him playing in Boston with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.
"My vets would never go to the media. They would come to the team," Rondo's post read. "My vets didn't pick and choose when they wanted to bring it. They brought it every time they stepped in the gym whether it was practice or a game. They didn't take days off.
Later in the post, Rondo wrote, "My vets didn't have an influence on the coaching staff. They couldn't change the plan because it didn't work for them."
That part made it sound like Rondo is upset with Wade and Butler for either pushing him out of the starting lineup or not sticking up for him when he was sent to the bench in late December. Rondo also stuck up for the Bulls' younger players and wrote, "if anything's questionable, it's the leadership."
Remember, Wade complained early this season about the younger players not following the game plan and not doing things that are necessary to win games.
By repeating the message in stronger terms Wednesday, Wade and Butler seem to be telling the front office they want changes to the roster. The trade deadline is Feb. 23.
"I don't give a (dang) about no trade deadline," Butler said after the game. "I just want to win now. Not later. Now."
Butler complained about shot selection after the game and there are two misses that stand out. When Atlanta closed within 110-109 with 1:43 left, the next Bulls' possession ended with a Paul Zipser missed 3-pointer. Then with the Bulls down 114-112, Wade drove and kicked it out to Nikola Mirotic, who missed a 3 with 25 seconds left.
In both cases, there was enough time on the shot clock to pass the ball to Butler, who was standing nearby. Butler was the better option.
But the postgame criticism was about more than the loss to Atlanta. This has been building all season.
As mentioned many times before, the Bulls' biggest flaw is too many young players on the roster. The Bulls were counting on improvement from Mirotic and Doug McDermott this season and it hasn't happened. First- and second-year players like Grant, Bobby Portis, Denzel Valentine and Paul Zipser aren't ready to contribute. Fourth-year guys Canaan and Michael Carter-Williams haven't made much of a difference.
In contrast, look at the role players on Atlanta's roster. Ex-Bulls Thabo Sefolosha and Mike Dunleavy are in their 11th and 15th NBA seasons, respectively. Kris Humphries is in Year 12. Sixth man Tim Hardaway Jr. is in his fourth season.
With rare exceptions, young teams don't win in the NBA. None of the Bulls mentioned above were top-10 draft picks. So it doesn't seem likely this group of players will turn things around overnight, at least not consistently. That's why Wade and Butler are asking for changes.
"I'm not at home with people, but I don't know if I see enough guys who really, really want it," Wade said. "Losses like this have to hurt them. I'm 35 years old. I have three championships. It shouldn't hurt me more than it hurts these young guys. They have to want it."
Reporters and fans alike have seen the disappointing results on the court. Wade has watched his teammates operate at the Advocate Center all season and should have a good idea of whether or not they're putting the work in.
The Bulls management team of John Paxson and Gar Forman know the roster is flawed. They miscalculated when counting on improvement from Mirotic, McDermott and others. Now none of those guys has much value on the trade market, so it's not clear what can be done short-term to solve the problem.
The two-star tirade - whether it was the right idea or not - suggests Wade and Butler aren't ready to give up on the season. A little bench help might go a long way.
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Scouting report
Bulls vs. Miami Heat at the United Center, 7 p.m. Friday
TV: Comcast SportsNet
Radio: WLS 890-AM
Outlook: Dwyane Wade's old team is starting to play well. Miami's five-game winning streak includes victories over Houston and Golden State. The Heat (16-30), however, has lost 12 of its last 14 on the road. SG Dion Waiters, averaging 30 points over the past three games, has won two in a row with last-second 3-pointers. PG Goran Dragic is Miami's top scorer on the season at 19.5 ppg. C Hassan Whiteside left Wednesday's game in Brooklyn with a sprained ankle and is listed as day to day. SG Tyler Johnson has missed the last three games with a shoulder injury. SF Justise Winslow is out for the season with a torn labrum. The Bulls are 2-0 against Miami this season with Jimmy Butler averaging 25.5 points.
Next: Philadelphia 76ers at the United Center, 6 p.m. Sunday
- Mike McGraw