Rondo unclear on benching, but back in rotation

WASHINGTON — Chicago Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo says he never got a clear explanation for his benching and believes the answers he did get from a member of the Bulls coaching staff were “bulls—.”

Rondo, who prior to Tuesday night had not played since the second half of a Dec. 30 loss to the Indiana Pacers, spoke for almost 10 minutes ahead of the team’s game against the Washington Wizards and acknowledged that this is the most confusing circumstance he has been through in his career. He also noted that he hasn’t shared more than a few words with head coach Fred Hoiberg since his benching, but declined to name which member of the Bulls’ staff gave him the reasoning behind his benching.

“I got a slight explanation from another guy on the staff,” Rondo said. “A guy told me that he was saving me from myself.”

Rondo was asked if he needed saving from himself.

“Do I need saving from myself?” Rondo said. “In this game, you grind through it. It’s a game of mistakes. You play through it. If not …

“I don’t want to say any names. But that’s what the explanation was. [In] Cleveland, they told me I had a negative 20 in Indiana at halftime. I think that was part of the reason.”

What did he think of the explanation?

“I thought it was bulls—,” he said. “‘Save me from myself?’ I never heard that before in my life. But I guess he was trying to do the best thing for me.”

Rondo, who signed a two-year contract with the Bulls over the summer, with only one year guaranteed, is averaging just 7.2 points a game. He has stated several times that he feels his role has been different than what he and the Bulls front office discussed when he signed over the summer.

“Depends on how you guys write it,” Rondo said. “But yeah, it’s different. When I signed here, why I wanted to come here, it’s a lot different than what…