It looks like the New York Knicks have declined Derrick Rose’s team option.
Rose will enter free agency and there have been some rumours that he could make a return to the Chicago Bulls.
Rose has a lot of history with the team.
He was their first pick in 2008 (first overall) and was immediately tasked with a hefty job.
The Bulls were the most dominant team in the 90s but after Michael Jordan’s departure, started to crumble in the 2000s.
There were a few seasons where it felt like they were getting back on track but it never panned out like how they envisioned.
Rose was going to fix that.
Rose was expected to make the Chicago Bulls the great dynasty that it was in the 90s again.
And for a little bit, it seemed like he was going to.
In his second NBA season, he was selected to be an NBA All-Star.
Then, in his third season, he was deemed the league’s Most Valuable Player.
He was the youngest to ever receive the award and was only the second Bulls player to get it.
Additionally, he was helping his team win games.
In his MVP season, he led the Bulls to 62 wins for the first seed in the league.
He also led them to the conference finals that year, where they took on the super-est of teams -the Miami Heat.
They, however, lost in five games. But they learned a ton and gained a lot of experience in that outing and were ready to try their hand at domination again the following season.
The Bulls started the 2011-12 season off phenomenally and garnered a 50-win season -tied for best in the league.
But in the first game of the first round, Rose suffered an injury that would affect the rest of his career.
He had to sit out the entirety of the playoffs and the following season and never came back the same.
He lost a lot of his athleticism -something that he relied on- and wasn’t able to play with the same explosiveness he had in the early days.
He was still a good player. But he was never able to return back to the level of an All-Star and MVP.
The Bulls, after realizing that they can’t win a title with him, traded him away and his story as a Chicago Bull ended.
Rose bounced around the league following that departure. He played in New York, Cleveland, Minnesota, and Detroit.
Chicago always kept a place in their heart for him, though.
And why wouldn’t they? He’s a hometown kid that grew up right in front of them.
They always cheer him on -despite being on the other team- and root for his success.
Now, after many years, his story with the Bulls might continue as there might be a chance he returns to the Windy City.
And if he does, how would you feel about it?
For me, I feel like it would be cool from a story standpoint. But from a basketball-skills standpoint, I don’t think he’s a good fit for the team and is what the team needs.
The Bulls right now are good offensively and they don’t need more scoring. They need someone to replace Lonzo Ball -someone who can defend and make plays and knock down threes.
Rose isn’t that player.
He’s a scoring guard that does most of the damage in the mid and close range.
The Bulls don’t need that, unfortunately.
However, there are better suitors for him elsewhere and I think he’ll have more success on those other teams.
Additionally, just because the chances of him not returning to Chicago this offseason are low, it doesn’t mean that his story with them will end.
He played with them for multiple years, helped them get back on track, received accolades as a Bull, and the fans love him.
So, he will most likely have his number retired and immortalized by the organization once he retires and his story will forever be told.
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