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NBA Rumors: It’s Time For Derrick Rose To Move On From The Chicago Bulls

By Clevis Murray

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NBA Rumors: It’s time for Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls to move on from each other

Derrick Rose‘s career started at meteoric rate when he was drafted by his hometown Chicago Bulls No. 1 overall in 2008. In his rookie season, he won Rookie of the Year award and was a part of one of the best playoff series in NBA history against the Boston Celtics. During his sophomore season, he received the honor of being named an NBA All-Star for the first time. His third-year was his arrival as a superstar as he became the youngest NBA MVP in league history at the tender age of twenty-two years old.

It looked like Rose was filling out his Hall of Fame résumé, and was on his way to becoming a once in a generation player with his unique talent of strength, size, speed, and explosiveness. His future looked bright until he tore his ACL in Game 1 of the 2012 playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers. Since his first major injury as a professional athlete, his talent, attitude and reputation have diminished each season.

When Rose suffered his tool ACL injury in April, he was expected to return at least eleven months later in March. Nine months later, he was cleared for full practice and a march return date looked more realistic. The Chicago organization, it’s fans and entire NBA were looking forward to its young gem returning, until he made int resting remarks about his expected return.

"“I don’t mind missing this year,” Derrick Rose told Andrew Peina of RealGM.com in 2012."

Rose saying that was sign No. 1 of interesting events and quotes he would later go on to say. Nobody took that as anything major, as he was medically cleared in March, as expected. The Chicago Bulls began to list him as day-to-day, but his return was on hold due to him not leaping off his left foot comfortably to dunk, along with him dealing with psychological issues in trusting his body.

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Since then, that same season, there were reports of him making his season-debut which were later refuted; considered playing late in the regular-season; had a teammate tell the media that his uniform was ready for him; strongly considered returning in the team’s second-round playoff series against the Heat. Rose eventually returned 18 months later, which is very unusual for an ACL tear. The entire 2012-13 season involving Rose is a great conundrum, because there aren’t many details about it.

The subsequent season, 2013-14, Rose returned only to tear his right meniscus 10 games into his first season game back. With his knee dismantled, yet again, Rose missed the entire season. His injury though, like his previous, created drama within the organization which eventually led to Luol Deng being traded that season and Tom Thibideau being fired during the summer of 2015. Chicago Bulls management has proved that they can only deal with so much rift between a player or coach before they make changes.

Rose is next on the Bulls hit-list. His injury drama was the start of it, and last year there were reports regarding his camp and the Bulls not getting along at all, event though he had never seen it.

"“I know it’s been there,” Rose acknowledged the rift to the Chicago Sun-Times in 2014. “I heard there were some upset people. I’m happy I didn’t personally see it. I don’t want to see that. I kind of wonder where it was coming from because it seemed like whenever I was around, everything was all right. It bothered me because when I wasn’t around, I would hear from certain people that everything wasn’t all right.”"

A few months later, after Rose admitted to the rift, he admitted to preserving his body for his life after basketball during the 2014-15 season. There were always reports about Rose sitting out due to minor and playable injures, but when he admitted to it, a new light was shed on his health. Questions had begun to surface about games Rose could’ve actually played in, especially when he was medically cleared in 2013.

"“I know a lot of people get mad when they see me sit out or whatever, but I think a lot of people don’t understand that when I sit out it’s not because of this year,” Rose told Nick Friedell of ESPN. “I’m thinking about long term. I’m thinking about after I’m done with basketball having graduations to go to, having meetings to go to.“I don’t want to be in my meetings all sore or be at my son’s graduation all sore just because of something I did in the past. (I’m) just learning and being smart.”"

With very interesting statements made that season, Rose would go on to battle many injuries including a knee surgery which sidelined for 4-6 weeks. He did return to help the Chicago Bulls’ playoff push, but it didn’t come with some controversy. While Rose was absent from the court much of the 14-15 regular-season, Jimmy Butler had a breakout season and became the team’s leading scorer which helped him win Most Improved Player. A shooting guard sidekick is what Rose needed, until reports surfaced about the two having tension on offense.

"[via CBS]“Sources describe a passive-aggressive reaction from Rose that was the culmination of tensions building in recent weeks with Butler’s emergence as a primary scorer. … Butler’s emergence was validated by the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award, and he’s now feeling every bit the star, with all that entails.”"

That was just the genesis of reports between the two alpha dogs. Butler is known as having a tremendous work ethic, and that’s been on display since his rookie year. As for Rose, his work ethic isn’t as flaunted about as Butler’s or any any other star in the association, unless he’s rehabbing. Due to that, the two have different mentalities when it comes to putting in work.

"[via Chicago Sun-Times]“According to the source, Butler considers Rose a friend, but “doesn’t have a lot of respect for his work ethic.’’ In Butler’s mind, Rose was considered the face of the franchise, and if the face of the franchise wasn’t busting his butt in practice every day, especially last season, what was the message to the rest of the team?”"

Rose’ work ethic was questioned to start the 2015-16 season, along with his mentality. Just how he made waves just a year ago about preserving his body for his life after retirement, he caused a raucous when he said he’s focused on the summer of 2017 in which he becomes a free agent.

"[via ESPN]“Making sure that my family is financially stable — as far as, you see all the money that they’re passing out in this league, [I’m] just telling the truth, just knowing that my day will be coming up soon. It’s not for me, it’s for [son] P.J. and his future. so that’s what I’m thinking about right now.”“It’s here,” he said. “But when you talk about that much money, the only thing you can do is prepare for it, trying to prepare not only myself but my family. I’m doing all of this for my son. I’m thinking about his future even though we’re all right, we’re comfortable. When you talk about that ‘X’ amount of dollars, I think it raises everyone’s eyebrows. It’s nothing wrong with being over-prepared.”"

Right after Rose made those comments about his future, he ironically suffered a left orbital fracture. Many jokes were made about him injuring his eye courtesy of a Taj Gibson elbow for looking into the future. The reality it his though: Rose just can’t catch a break. He’s had to deal with groin, back, ankle, toe and orbital injuries, along with two right meniscus tears and one torn left ACL.

He’s been through a lot since 2012 with his health, attitude, on-court relationships, his camp representatives going against the organization, getting bashed for not recruiting free agents in 2010 and 2014, and dealing with off-court issues.

So far this season, Rose’s lost just about everything that made him a household name earlier in his career. He’s going through what Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and other greats had to go through, and that’s adjusting their game due to age or injuries. It’s very sad Rose is going through this process early in his career at the age of 26, as his he’s been robbed of his prime and maybe full potential.

All NBA players do go through that change. Right now LeBron James is going through it slowly, and Dwight Howard hasn’t been “Orlando Dwight” since he left the Magic and suffered a torn labrum with the Lakers. Injuries are a part of the game, sadly, and have robbed possible Hall of Fame careers from guys such as Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, Tracy McGrady and Amar’e Stoudemire. From the looks of things now, Rose might retire as a legend that never was and be know as a “what if he was healthy” guy.

Just how LeBron James had to leave his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010 to join the Miami Heat, Rose might need to do something in the same realm. James heading to South Beach made him mature as a person, grow as a man and improve as a basketball player. He felt too comfortable playing for the team he watched growing up, and attended “college” in Miami where he went through tough times, but overcame them to became a MVP, and champion. Leaving Cleveland for Miami let the world see James truly reach his potential and became the best player on the planet.

James grew and came back home with a degree in winning and leadership, while still in his prime. Rose leaving the Bulls could do him justice as a person and player. He hasn’t been the same since his injuries, and right now isn’t focused on his team as much a as he is his next contract in 2017. Right now, he’s comfortable being the hometown kid. That’s alright, but not fine. When’s the last time you heard someone call Rose “D-Rose” or “The Windy City Assassin?”

A change of scenery could be what’s necessary for Rose, as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst pointed out such a thing during a recent radio interview.

Next: NBA MVP Power Rankings: Week 2 Edition

Key Quotes from his appearance:

"“The Derrick Rose breakup with the Bulls has begun.”“The team and the franchise have moved on to a little bit to a certain extent.”"

It’s only a matter of time until trade rumors begin to swirl, and maybe a fresh start will revitalize Rose as he approaches thirty. It’s up to him and the Chicago Bulls to either fix what’s going on, or breakup for a little bit and comeback together, sort of like a teenage relationship. Only time will tell where the two parties will go from their current standing point.

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