Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose has been accused of sexual assault by an ex-girlfriend and while the point guard has proclaimed his innocence in the situation, the issue is a serious one and it comes as Rose and Jimmy Butler are working on their chemistry moving forward into the season. The Bulls also may look at a Taj Gibson trade or Brendan Haywood as a free agent option to add depth behind Joakim Noah.
TMZ first reported the news about Rose and the story alleges that Rose drugged a former girlfriend while she was at his home in California. According to Pro Basketball Talk, Rose is being sued by the woman and no criminal charges were filed in relation to the incident previously. The lawsuit alleges that Rose and other people described as "friends" drugged her while she was at Rose's home and then when she left, they later came to her apartment and sexually assaulted her.
The Bulls put out a statement soon after the news broke and said that the team is not commenting and that they currently "do not know all the facts." Rose put out a statement through a spokesperson and that statement called the allegations false. The statement also said that the plaintiff has been through multiple lawyers and that she "expressed no complaints about Mr. Rose" until recently when "various lawyers began to surface." Rose's team put out a strong statement and now the claims would move forward and there is a possibility that a settlement could happen eventually with lawyers involved.
The Bulls have issues on the court to deal with as well and the team could consider a Taj Gibson trade this season. The Chicago Tribune reported earlier in the summer that Gibson could be on the trade block for the team after Pau Gasol and Nikola Mirotic handled things well last season at PF. Gibson is a quality player, but he is coming off of ankle surgery and is making over $8 million per season, which could be a bit much for a reserve player. The team also added Bobby Portis in the draft, so they have some solid depth now at forward.
The Bulls also could look at adding some depth up front at center, as the team has just Cameron Bairstow as a depth option behind Joakim Noah. Noah dealt with some injuries and is coming into a contract season and Haywood could be an option for more support. Greg Stiemsma and Eric Moreland are also available, but Moreland is reportedly considering a deal with the Pistons.
The Bulls are coming into the season with some high expectations after bringing in Fred Hoiberg to take over as head coach for Tom Thibodeau and the franchise will be looking for another deep playoff run. The Chicago Tribune reported after the season that some players were not happy with Thibodeau's tough style and now Hoiberg could have a different outlook with the team moving forward.
Check here for more on Rose and the assault claims and here for more on Taj Gibson and his potential trade and roster options for the Bulls.
