Derrick Rose’s Season in Jeopardy
Added on Feb 15, 2013 by Scott in
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Injured Bulls point guard Derrick Rose made headlines earlier in the week when he suggested he’s “far away from returning” from a torn left ACL. He didn’t back off those statements two days later and even hinted that he could miss the entire season while he continues to rehab. Naturally, this triggered a media firestorm and a public relations mini crisis within the Bulls organization.
The company line since the season began has been that Rose would make his debut some point after the All-Star break. However, Rose punched a giant hole into that theory by admitting he lacks explosion, still can’t dunk, and is struggling to regain his mental confidence.
Rose doesn’t appear to be hanging his head low, but he isn’t concealing where he’s at in the rehab process, either. He’s only ninth months removed from surgery to repair the ligament, so it’s logical to assume he won’t be ready for at least another three to four months.
Not everyone is Adrian Peterson. Most athletes don’t regain full strength and range of motion until a year or more after suffering ACL injuries. Rose is correct when he says there is “no point” rushing back to the lineup if he’s less than 100%. At 24, he has a long career ahead of him. Risking further damage for a playoff run would be foolish.
Chicago currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 30-22 record. Trade rumors involving Carlos Boozer have been circulating for weeks, but losing both him and Rose would all but ruin the team’s chances of contending for a title, unless a Boozer deal fetched a legit scorer.
The combination of Nate Robinson and Kirk Hinrich have filled in admirably for Rose. Neither is a championship caliber point guard, but both are solid veterans capable of running an NBA offense. Standing pat and waiting until Rose is healthy won’t please a lot of fans, but it’s the wisest course of action.
Source: ESPN.com
