Chicago Bulls president John Paxson expressed his desire to exercise Rajon Rondo‘s $13.4 million-option this offseason at his exit meeting on Wednesday, after claiming he wouldn't try to “blow up” the team if there wasn't a major offer to entice him to do so.

“We're going to make those decisions down the road, but there's a good chance, a really good chance, that we'll bring Rajon back,” Paxson told reporters, per ESPN's Nick Friedell. “And for these reasons: As we get younger, it's still really important to have quality veterans around your young players. And to a man, our young people love Rajon. He was great in the locker room, he was great off the court with these guys.”

It seems Paxson's ideal role for Rondo is that of a mentor, as the younger guys seemed to have listened to him consistently throughout the season and been willing to pick up on his advice.

Though it remains to be seen if that is indeed the role the 31-year-old point guard wants to take moving forward.

The often-controversial floor general has had plenty of up and downs with the organization, but ended in a high note, averaging 11.5 points, 10 assists, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.5 steals through the Bulls' only two wins of the postseason, prior to his right thumb injury.

A distinctly intelligent individual and savvy playmaker, Rajon Eondo failed to have as stellar a season as he had in 2015-16 with the Sacramento Kings, posting subpar averages of 7.8 points, 6.7 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.4 steals, while shooting a measly 40.8 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from deep.