The curious of Derrick Rose continues as the point guard continues to nurse sprains in both ankles. Injuries have plagued the former NBA MVP causing him to play just 10 games over the past two seasons. As a result, the Chicago Bulls star notes that he does not plan on playing a basketball game unless he is 100 percent healthy. That naturally drew criticism from the Bulls' faithful as fans are tired of seeing their star point guard on the bench.
Rose initially injured both ankles in a game on Oct. 31 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He reportedly tweaked those ankles again on Nov. 5 causing him to miss more time on the court. He made an appearance in Monday's game against the Detroit Pistons, scoring 24 points in 32 minutes, but the injuries are still on his mind. Rose stressed to the media that he cares more about his long-term health than constantly being on the court this season. Some fans are happy with that while others are not thrilled.
"I'm good, man," Rose said, via ESPNChicago.com. "I felt like I've been managing myself pretty good. 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. 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."
The Bulls have struggled in the postseason over the past two years which many blame Rose's injuries for. They entered 2014 with raised expectations as Rose was healthy and Pau Gasol among others were on the roster. However, injuries are once again an issue and Rose's comments are not easing the nerves of the Bulls' fanbase.
With Rose on and off the court, the offense relies heavily on players like Jimmy Butler and Joakim Noah. This kind of situation could help Butler in his quest for a big contract. The swingman has made it clear that he seeks to remain in Chicago, but also wants to get paid fairly. As his value with the team continues to rise, Butler might just get that contract he has been pining for. Taj Gibson is in the same boat as he awaits a new deal.