Rose doing well in recovery but will not return this season.
The Chicago Bulls are keen to learn from their mistakes from last year and continue to insist that point guard Derrick Rose will not return from injury this season.
The 25-year-old suffered ligament damage in his right knee back in November, and has been limited to just 10 games in the last two campaigns after sustaining a torn ACL in his left knee in the 2012 playoffs.
However, the Bulls, and particularly Rose himself, came under strong criticism last year for keeping his return open as despite receiving medical clearance in March, he did not return until the start of the current season which frustrated the supporters hoping to see him boost the team’s chances.
As a result, despite conflicting reports which suggest that both parties believe that he can return for the playoffs next month, both coach Tom Thibodeau and general manager Gar Forman have insisted that Rose is done for the season.
When asked if he expected Rose to return, Thibodeau replied: “No. He’s doing a little bit more, he’s coming along (and) doing some things in practice. But he’s out for the year,” he said, as reported by ESPN.
His stance was reiterated by Forman on CSNChicago.com, as the Bulls ensure they don’t create a similar PR disaster from last year and instead allow Rose the time and space to recover fully.
The explosive point guard has previously revealed that he could feature at the World Cup in Spain for Team USA this summer in a bid to regain his fitness and rhythm, but it is expected that he won’t be back in a Bulls uniform until the start of next season.
Aside from the risk that the team would take by rushing him back into action in a such a pressurised atmosphere, the Bulls would also risk an adjustment period disrupting their current system by reintroducing him into the starting line-up.
As a result, expect Rose to remain on the sidelines for the remainder of the season, with his highly anticipated comeback set for the summer as the Bulls continue to push for a third seed finish in the Eastern Conference without him.
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