Chicago Bulls: Where Does Derrick Rose’s Torn Meniscus Leave The Bulls?
It wasn’t an ACL tear. That’s the biggest piece of good news for Chicago Bulls fans, and NBA fans in general, to take from Derrick Rose‘s latest knee injury. Anytime you see a guy go down with a non-contact injury, that’s typically not a good sign. The impending sense of gloom in Chicago’s locker rooms extended to basketball analysts and fans everywhere yesterday as they flocked to Twitter to await the results of Rose’s MRI. The Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson broke the news first: it was a torn meniscus in Rose’s right knee, an injury that will require surgery.
Surgery on a torn meniscus is next up for Derrick Rose. (NBA.com photo)
Everyone is different, but recovering from surgery for a torn meniscus typically takes a few weeks in a best-case scenario and in a worst-case scenario, will keep him sidelined for months. Given Derrick Rose’s extensive injury history in the past, I’d bank on it being quite a while before we see him back on the court again. So where does this latest devastating setback leave Derrick Rose and the Bulls?
For Chicago, backcourt depth is an immediate, glaring issue that needs addressing. With Rose out indefinitely and Jimmy Butler still week-to-week with turf toe, the Bulls now have to depend on Kirk Hinrich, Mike Dunleavy and Marquis Teague. Those three players are averaging a combined 19.2 points per game. Hinrich’s defense and Dunleavy’s 3-pont shooting aside, here’s a bit of expert NBA analysis: That’s not good.
Look for Chicago to make a panic signing and bring in another guard to make up for their serious lack of backcourt depth. Like I said over the summer, the Bulls absolutely should’ve re-signed Nate Robinson. Not that I was banking on injuries rampaging through Chicago’s roster like the Black Death or anything, but the Bulls could certainly use a talented second-string guard like Robinson now after another non-contact injury struck.
Making the playoffs isn’t a concern. Chicago is one of just four teams in the entire Eastern Conference with a winning record. They were the fifth seed in the East last year without Rose and the East was a LOT better then compared to now. But just making the postseason wasn’t the goal for Chicago this season. With Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng‘s long-term status with the Bulls very much up in the air, this was a make-or-break season for Chicago. It was Finals or bust, and without Derrick Rose, this is not a true Eastern Conference contender. They may get a first-round playoff win and they’ll compete to the end, but without Rose another second-round playoff defeat is very much in their future.
As for Rose himself, you have to feel sorry for the guy. It’s not just about your fantasy team; it’s a matter of a man’s health, passion and livelihood (AKA the Derrick Rose injury jokes are lame and need to stop. You’re not being original or funny). In his prime, he’s shown he’s a top-10 player with a knack for taking over games when it matters most. The NBA is at its best when its stars are shining in the spotlight and Rose is one of the league’s brightest. I hate to say it, and I hope I’m wrong about this down the road, but Derrick Rose is seriously heading for Grant Hill territory.
That probably seems like an dramatic overstatement. After all, he’s only 25 years old and a meniscus tear is nowhere near as bad as another ACL tear would’ve been. There’s a definite possibility that Rose even comes back this season. But consider this: in the last two years, Rose has suffered a torn medial meniscus in both of his knees in addition to the ACL tear. From the start of the 2011-12 season through Friday’s game, he’s only played in 49 games out of a possible 158. Though it’s not something that can really be proven scientifically, there are just some guys that are more prone to injuries. And despite winning an MVP award and spearheading a Chicago team that had the best record in the league two years in a row, Rose has to be healthy to make Chicago a contender.
No one should declare Rose’s career dead in the water at this point. It’s too early and too depressing a thought to give it too much merit. But don’t forget that Grant Hill was only 27 years old when his first ankle injury struck and that injury that would go on to derail his potentially elite career. Rose has a little more time on his side, but this current Bulls roster does not. Even if Rose comes back this season and stays healthy, his offensive rhythm and chemistry with his teammates will have to start from ground zero again. There simply won’t be enough time for Chicago to develop into a true title contender. It was a stretch to ask that of the Bulls in one season, let alone a few months in a best-case scenario. This isn’t the end of Derrick Rose, but it could be the end of the Chicago Bulls’ hopes of winning their seventh championship for the foreseeable future.
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