Derrick Rose is tired of talking about uncertainties. The point guard has come out of hiding and is now forced to answer questions about his pending health after back-to-back knee injuries and the potential of Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James signing to the Chicago Bulls in free agency. The point guard is stressing that he will have no part in the offseason dramatics that are sure to come July 1.
According to ESPN's Marc Stein, Anthony's first meeting in free agency will be with the Chicago Bulls. The offseason is set to start on Tuesday and the New York Knicks guard will be sitting down with the Bulls' front office to discuss his future. While head coach Tom Thibodeau is expected to be present in the meeting, Rose will not.
"If they want to come, they can come," Rose said, via Yahoo! Sports. "I love Melo's game. He's a great player. Takes the game serious. He's consistent. He shoots the ball great. I love his heart. I can play with anybody, no matter who it is. I believe I can play with anyone if they step on the court with me."
Joakim Noah is taking the same approach. Rumors were swirling that the center spent most of the All-Star weekend recruiting Anthony to sign with the Bulls, something everyone has denied. His name has been tossed around more times than not in trade talks and while a deal is not likely to happen with Kevin Love possibly off the table, he plans on remaining more focused on improvement than offseason gossip.
Rose is also stressing that he is perfectly healthy and plans on being come the start of the 2014 season. The 25-year-old has played just 49 games in the past three years after winning NBA MVP. Injuries have certainly taken their toll on the point guard and some free agents might be thinking twice before signing with Chicago because of it. Rose was expected to play with Team USA this summer in order to help his preparation after plenty of time off, but he and Thibodeau remain coy on that option.
"His last experience with Team USA I thought was very helpful for him in terms of readiness for the season -- and that was his MVP year," Thibodeau said on ESPN 1000.. "So I think there is a great benefit, particularly in this situation where he's been off for so long. It will let him know where he is also. But from what I've seen thus far I think he's going to be ready and I expect him to play well. As long as he feels well he'll be fine."
Anthony will listen to everything to Bulls have to say about free agency. The team has been linked to several reports including a teamup of LeBron James and possibly a deal for Love which might see Noah heading out. Everything is speculation right now, but one thing is certain, Rose plans on proving a lot of people wrong when it comes to the discussion of his knees.
