Rajon Rondo says there wasn't 'clear-cut message' in meeting with Bulls execs

CLEVELAND -- In the wake of a Saturday night meeting with Bulls executives Gar Forman and John Paxson, point guard Rajon Rondo remains uncertain about his role on the team and his future in Chicago.

Rondo, who has been benched since the second half of a Dec. 30 loss to the Indiana Pacers, spoke for the first time since the meeting prior to Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"It went OK," Rondo told ESPN.com. "It really wasn't a clear-cut message [from Forman and Paxson]. We'll talk again."

Privately, Bulls officials believe they were "crystal clear" in their message to Rondo about staying professional in how he handles his benching moving forward.

Rondo said after a Dec. 31 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks that he would "absolutely" look to move on from the Bulls if he wasn't playing, but when asked Wednesday if Forman and Paxson were open to helping him find another team to play for, Rondo did not get into specifics.

"I'm leaving that talk for my agent [Bill Duffy] and for them guys [Forman and Paxson] to talk," Rondo said.

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg has been noncommittal about using Rondo off the bench since Rondo's demotion, repeatedly saying "we'll see," when the possibility is discussed. Rondo used the same terminology when asked if he would be open to coming off the bench.

"We'll see," Rondo said. "We'll see. I just want to work on my game and continue to get better."

Rondo signed with the Bulls last summer in a deal that was widely panned throughout the league. He only has one guaranteed year on his contract, with the second year being only a partial guarantee. Rondo has really struggled at times this season, shooting just 36.9 percent from the field and averaging just 7.2 points per game.

While Hoiberg continues to stick with younger guards Michael Carter-Williams and Jerian Grant in his rotation, Rondo's teammates and coaches continue to say he has handled the situation professionally.

"He's been in a great place with his teammates," Bulls guard Dwyane Wade said. "That's all you can ask for. Obviously, you don't expect him to be jolly that he's not playing the game that he loves. But when it comes to his teammates, he's been great. He's been staying in it, keeps talking to guys. He's been here every day. It's a tough situation. There are a lot of players on this team that don't really understand. But it's not for us to understand. It's our job to play. He's a teammate of ours. You never know what happens. We stick together. He's been doing a great job of it."