Rose keen for new beginning next season as he returns to action…
Derrick Rose has conceded that he was aware of tension between his inner-circle and the Chicago Bulls over the past two years but he is now looking forward.
The Bulls point guard, executive vice president John Paxson and owner Jerry Reinsdorf all communicated the same message on Thursday as they look to put all the speculation and rumours behind them.
Rose admits that although he wasn’t directly involved in the tension between the two parties, he was aware of it and hopes that everyone can now continue to move in the same direction and focus on the one goal that is winning an NBA championship.
“I know it’s been there,” Rose told the Chicago Sun-Times.
“I heard there were some upset people. I’m happy I didn’t personally see it. I don’t want to see that. I kind of wonder where it was coming from because it seemed like whenever I was around, everything was all right. It bothered me because when I wasn’t around, I would hear from certain people that everything wasn’t all right.”
The tension arguably stems from B.J. Armstrong, one of Rose’s agents, who had a sour ending to his relationship with the franchise, while Rose’s brother, Reggie, expressed his disappointment last season with the Bulls’ failure to make significant moves ahead of the 2013 deadline to surround the 25-year-old with more help.
The fact that Rose has only played 10 games in the last two seasons has perhaps only added to the tension, but ultimately all parties concerned were keen to avoid discussing hearsay in the media and related back to their main point which was that the future is looking bright in Chicago.
Rose will continue to work with Team USA this summer ahead of the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain later this month, and having received rave reviews from coaches and team-mates alike, the explosive point guard will look to lead the Bulls to success next season.
Chicago have arguably delivered on their side by signing Pau Gasol, Nikola Mirotic and Aaron Brooks to add strength in depth, now it will be up to Rose to prove his health and silence his critics who doubt whether or not he is capable of returning to the same level he played at prior to his knee injuries.
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