Derrick Rose has a decision to make. The Cavaliers have one to make, too. The Cav’s have won consistently without Rose. It’s fair to question whether or how much he’ll help.
Derrick Rose is planning on returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He met with front office officials to begin the process of rejoining the team after a self-imposed leave of absence to evaluate his playing career.
Courtesy: Wikipedia
Times have been tough for Derrick Rose ever since a ACL tear in 2011.
First, he was betrayed by the Chicago Bulls when they released a statement indicating that doctors affirmed Derrick could play. The former MVP decided to sit out games. Rose’s decision, of course, didn’t go over well with fans–especially during playoff runs when felt they had a chance to compete for a title … if their franchise player had suited up.
And Rose did himself no favors when speaking with the media.
“I know a lot of people get mad when they see me sit out. 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. Just learning and being smart.” Derrick Rose
Rose also told the media that (going into free agency) he was still a max player in terms of salary. That statement took aback many analysts and fans because Rose hadn’t even completed half a year in over two seasons.
Courtesy: The Big Lead
After all the chaos in Chicago, Rose ended up in New York – a place not known for its stability. It was in New York where we first saw Rose take a leave of absence. Rose left the team for a day and couldn’t be reached. He was suspended by the team and later apologized to his coaches and teammates.
Now in Cleveland, this leave is different. Rose was inactive with a sprained ankle at the time of his departure and–very importantly–he did communicate with the organization before he left.
But the fact remains that there has been such turmoil in a short career. One has to wonder if this will be Rose’s final season. He still appears to have the athleticism and explosiveness you’d expect from a top 10 guard, but his confidence seems to have evaporated. Once assured of being able to get any shot, Rose now seems to be full of doubt.
The Cavaliers have to be careful, too. They’ve won consistently without Rose and it’s fair to question whether or how much Rose could help. His shooting percentage has been poor and there’s skepticism about his game condition.
But it’s still early in the season. There’s time to figure out things.
Let’s face it, though, confidence is the most important trait of any NBA player. If Rose has lost that, then his time may be over.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
