Rajon Rondo didn't pan out with the Dallas Mavericks, but in his mind, it wasn't all bad.
The point guard was traded to Dallas from the Boston Celtics in December 2014 and suited up for 46 regular-season games, before an unceremonious exit from the club during Game 2 of the opening round of the playoffs.
During his stay, Rondo butted heads with head coach Rick Carlisle over playing styles (among other things), and their relationship became strained beyond repair. It was so bad, in fact, that the four-time All-Star was essentially kicked off the team, which by all accounts played better without him anyway.
Now two seasons - and just as many teams - removed from those days, the 2008 champ reflected on his stint in the Lone Star state, and said he actually respects Carlisle, who guided the Mavs to a title in 2011.
"He's a champion," Rondo told K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. "You can't take that from me. You can't take that from him. It just didn't work out, that two champions couldn't figure it out.
"I have a lot of respect for Rick. Just because things don't go well doesn't mean you hate a person or that the media perception is right. Rick and I had a good relationship in the beginning. We tried to work it out. I worked with him every day on my shot. We watched film together. Not every marriage works. It was a learning process."
Related: Rondo says playing in Dallas 'just didn't work'
Rondo maintains he doesn't view his Mavericks tenure as negative, chalking it up as the wrong fit in terms of personalities and philosophies.
He's having better luck in both regards as a member of the 11-7 Chicago Bulls under head coach Fred Hoiberg, who lets Rondo play more freely and allows him to take what the defense gives him.
After Chicago signed the 30-year-old during the offseason, Carlisle even told Hoiberg he and Rondo have perfect personalities for each other, and so far, that's rung true.
Rondo recorded his first triple-double of the campaign with 15 points, 12 assists, and 11 boards in Friday's 111-105 victory versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Bulls will look to sweep the back-to-back set Saturday against the last-place Mavs at American Airlines Center.
