Rose reveals that he isn’t upset with Anthony over decision to turn down Bulls…
Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose believes that his team are a “contender” to win the Eastern Conference next season and is pleased with the off-season additions made by the front office.
The Bulls missed out on their primary target in Carmelo Anthony after he opted to remain with the New York Knicks, but instead, the organisation added Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic and Aaron Brooks to go with rookie Doug McDermott and many experts believe that they have benefited from missing out on Melo.
However, still perhaps the most important piece of the puzzle for coach Tom Thibodeau is his first choice point guard, and Rose is currently impressing at the Team USA training camp ahead of the Basketball World Cup later this summer.
Rose is equally as impressed with the moves made this off-season, and although he doesn’t believe that the Bulls can regard themselves as the favourites in the East, they will certainly be a contender next year.
“I think we have a contender,” Rose said after Team USA’s first practice Monday, ESPN reports.
“I wouldn’t say … (people) were saying put us at the top of the East or whatever, but we have a contender team. We know as a team what we were trying to do. We all have one goal. And individually, this whole summer I think everybody worked on their games, and everybody’s trying to compete for that title next year.”
Meanwhile, Rose insisted that there was no ill-feeling towards Anthony after he turned down the Bulls, citing family and financial aspects as key reasons in making such a decision and effectively the 30-year-old did what he felt was best for his career moving forward.
The 25-year-old revealed what he said to the Knicks ace during his pitch, but reiterated his point about how deep and talented the Bulls roster now is and although he dismissed the notion that the franchise are trying to replicate what the San Antonio Spurs have done so effectively over the years, he insists that it will come down to how bad the players want to win a championship next season.
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