Derrick Rose: 5 Best-Case Scenario Comparisons

Derrick Rose will never be an MVP-caliber player again.

Those are the words that no one wants to say right now, but they are the truth. Only two weeks ago, Rose was slapping up 30 points and seven assists in a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers to chants of “MVP!”. But after yet another meniscus tear, even one that might not require as long a recovery time, this former MVP’s days as a star could be behind him forever.

It’s not all doom and gloom, however. Unlike the last few times Rose went down with a season-ending injury, the Chicago Bulls are actually in decent shape to compete without him. With Jimmy Butler‘s emergence, Pau Gasol‘s resurgence and the arrival of players like Nikola Mirotic, Tony Snell and Aaron Brooks, the Bulls can still remain competitive in the East.

They’re not title contenders, but they’re not down and out either, especially since the team is still hopeful Rose can return this season.

The outlook is a still cloudy for Rose, however. Shutting him down, even if he’s ready for the end of the season, might be the most prudent approach. Twitter’s suggestions that it’s time for him to retire (at the age of 26) amount to trolling, but it’s also undeniable that the sad comparisons to Penny Hardaway, Brandon Roy, Chris Webber etc. finally feel warranted.

At the very least, D-Rose will have to change his playing style if he wants to continue playing the game of basketball. With that in mind, here’s a look at a few players that Derrick Rose should study and try to emulate if he wants to salvage his injury-plagued career.

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