Nowitzki downplays withholding Rondo's playoff share: 'It's not like it was that much money'

It's going to be an interesting and likely disappointing offseason for Rajon Rondo, the impending free-agent point guard who has faced unrelenting scrutiny in the wake of his ugly departure from the Dallas Mavericks. 

The ultimate kick in the face appeared to come when the Mavericks declined to give Rondo a playoff share, which is part of a lump-sum bonus awarded to teams on a performance-based scale, and typically divvied up by players. 

In an interview with KTCK-AM 1310 on Monday, longtime Maverick Dirk Nowitzki stressed that the team withholding Rondo's playoff share wasn't as big a deal as it's been made out to be, and wasn't a decision the players got together to sort out or vote on.

No, we actually didn't vote. It was just the guys who were there that day got a playoff share. What we usually do is give a lot of weight to the guys that work for you all season long; the locker room guys, the equipment guys, the trainers, the massage guys (or) whoever you feel helped you get through the season. We usually divide it up and then give them a lot of money. I think that got blown out of proportion. It's not like it was that much money. I don't think Rondo would have cared either way.

This year, teams like the Mavericks that lost in the first round of the postseason were awarded $208,940, so Nowitzki isn't wrong when he says that, relatively speaking, the bonus is a drop in the bucket.

It was never really the money, though, so much as the gesture, that seemed to speak volumes. 

Rondo hasn't commented on the situation.