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Chicago Bulls: Bulls Well-Equipped For Life Without Derrick Rose

By Greg Chin

Oct 16, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) gets high-fives from Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) and Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol (16) after being fouled by the an Atlanta Hawks player during the second half at the United Center. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Atlanta Hawks 85-84. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 16, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) gets high-fives from Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) and Chicago Bulls forward Pau Gasol (16) after being fouled by the an Atlanta Hawks player during the second half at the United Center. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Atlanta Hawks 85-84. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports /
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When Derrick Rose tore his ACL in the first round of the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference playoffs, the Chicago Bulls were unable to put away the Philadelphia 76ers despite entering the series as heavy favorites.

The next season, the Bulls sans Rose made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, only to fall to the eventual champions, the Miami Heat. Rose was nothing more than an observer on the bench, as the team tried to adapt to life without him.

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In the 2013-14 season, Derrick Rose made his long-awaited comeback. Unfortunately, the highly-publicized return lasted 10 games before he tore his meniscus and was shut down for the rest of the season. The Bulls were never able to find a suitable replacement and were subsequently knocked out of the first round in the playoffs.

If you haven’t noticed it quite yet, there’s a recurring trend between the Bulls’ title hopes and Derrick Rose’s health. Year after year, the Bulls were listed as heavy favorites, but only with the caveat that Rose were healthy. After all, this was an elite defensive team that lacked real offensive firepower – something the former MVP was coincidentally really good at.

However, things are very different this season. The Bulls’ title hopes don’t rest on Rose’s troublesome knees, and despite potentially losing him for the rest of the season, their title chances may not have taken as big a hit as they did in seasons prior.

It seems as though the Bulls’ front office saw the risk that an injured Rose would bring to the team, and addressed the need during the offseason, creating a backup plan in case Rose wasn’t able to find his way back to his MVP form.

And in light of the tragic news last week, Bulls’ fans should be thanking the front office that precautions were taken.

Signing Pau Gasol during the offseason was a huge move for the team. Gasol’s addition may have hurt Joakim Noah’s contributions this season, but the positives Gasol brings to the team significantly outweigh the negatives. He is second in the team in points scored, and leads the team in rebounds and blocks per game.

He has already amassed 41 double-doubles this season, and leads the league in that category.

Gasol has taken over Rose’s role of offensive facilitator. Previously, if the Bulls were desperate for a bucket or a quick score, they would give the ball to Rose and practically stay out of his way. Now, that job falls to Gasol, and he’s doing a great job at that.

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    • The other reason why this team is so well-equipped for Rose’s absence is the emergence of Jimmy Butler. He has blossomed from his role as a defensive specialist into a legitimate two-way guard.

    Every night, he checks the opposing team’s best offensive player, while carrying the offensive load on the other end. He leads the team in points, offensive rating, offensive win shares, and is second in defensive win shares.

    Earlier in the season, while Rose was still trying to find his feet, Butler and Gasol were the ones leading the team. It would be fair to infer that the two carried the team, and are a big reason why the team is currently second in the Eastern Conference standings.

    Over the years, the Bulls were forced to learn to survive without Derrick Rose in the lineup, and this year, they are finally thriving in spite of him. They’ve gone from building a team around Rose to turning him into a complimentary piece.

    Not too long ago, it was said that having Derrick Rose was the Chicago Bulls’ best chance at winning a title. This year, the roles are reversed: this team is now Rose’s best chance at winning a chip.

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