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If you were the Chicago Bulls’ front office, how would you handle the situation with Rajon Rondo going forward?

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David Aldridge: I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it. Rondo knows he can’t have another episode like he had in Dallas — sent home while the playoffs were going on. He’s going to be professional as long as the lines of communication between himself and the team remain open. Coach Fred Holberg has to handle this carefully; he has to keep Rondo in the loop at all times. The Bulls have a history of trying to create narratives in the media (see Tom Thibodeau); if they try to insinuate that it’s Rondo’s fault the team has struggled, this could end badly. I think he’ll accept being benched, but not blamed.

Steve Aschburner: First of all, I’d act fast, as in yesterday. Call a team council meeting – VP John Paxson, GM Gar Forman, coach Fred Hoiberg, Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler and Rondo – to get everything on the table. Air it out, laugh, cry, maybe even hug at the end. But make it crystal clear what the expectations are for Rondo – offensive pace, defensive effort, whatever – and then get him back on the court and hold him to the agreement. Meanwhile, the Bulls might want to make one more round of phone calls to gauge Rondo’s trade value, but the laughter coming out of the phone should tell them it’s next to nil. So if the above all fails, all that’s left is a buyout or a release, with the former dependent on Rondo’s sense of fair play, since he’s not a guy you want to keep around if you’re not going to play him.

Fran Blinebury: When Rondo wants to check out, he really checks out and can only become a negative force. See: Dallas 2015. Because of the money he’s owed, I think it’s going to be extremely difficult for the Bulls to make a trade. It seems a buyout might be the best for all concerned.

Scott Howard-Cooper: What’s to handle? The coach decides on the lineup, the player keeps himself ready and the front office gets involved if the second step does not happen. Suspend him, save the contract money, maybe recover some of the very bad deal in the first place. (The Bulls wanting to find veterans to win now was understandable, but two years and $27.4 million was always panic purchase. Even the Kings knew not to go more than one year.) It’s not like this could break apart a title contender. And it’s not like there is any real trade market for Rondo. It would have to be a salary dump. Aside from that, he stays ready to play or he doesn’t get paid.

Shaun Powell: First order of duty is to find someone to take him, and I wouldn’t ask for much in return. There’s an old saying in sports: You can be a headache if you produce; if not, you’re not worth the trouble. Rondo isn’t producing — his shooting is abysmal and his defense is suffering — and so he’s not worth the trouble. Bulls should stick with Michael Carter-Williams, who gives them just as much, minus the confrontations with coaches.

John Schuhmann: I’d certainly see if there’s a team out there that still doesn’t realize what the Mavs, Kings and Bulls didn’t realize when they traded for or signed Rondo. Assuming that there’s no such team out there, I wouldn’t cut ties with him just yet. He seems to be handling the situation well and the Bulls may certainly need him at some point, because it’s not like their other two point guards are Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook. If the situation becomes an issue to the point where it’s hurting your ability to win games, then you can negotiate a buyout, asking him to give back the small guarantee he’s owed for next season in exchange for the freedom to go wherever he wants.

Sekou Smith: This Rondo situation is yet another stain on the Chicago front office and on Rondo himself. They knew what they were getting into when they signed Rondo, so now it’s time to decide if you want to change course immediately or try and rehabilitate the situation with some work that should be done in private. If a manageable situation cannot be worked out, the only wise move would be to buy Rondo out of his contract and move on. I know what I wouldn’t do if I was in that Bulls front office: let this mess linger. There is no reservoir of good will to trade upon with Bulls fans, not where the front office is concerned. So whatever they do next better be well thought out.

Ian Thomsen: I would keep in mind that the Bulls have all of the leverage. Rondo is running out of chances, and if he isn’t able to help the Bulls now then why would yet another NBA team be willing to invest in him next season? The Bulls shouldn’t strong-arm Rondo, but they should expect him to be reasonable and humble.

Lang Whitaker: This thing always seemed destined to be a weird fit, especially in an age of pace-and-space offenses and the Bulls went out and signed two guard not known for their ability to shoot. If it’s any consolation for Rondo, he’s not the first person to not get along with the Bulls, and it seems odd that there are consistently stories coming out of Chicago about various types of discord. I wouldn’t think Rondo’s trade value will net much, but if the Bulls cut him loose, imagine how swell Rondo could be in, say, Golden State, where he could not shoot all game long and let everyone else pour in buckets.

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