Speculation Surrounding Derrick Rose's Return Harmful To Chicago Bulls

So at this point it’s safe to say that everyone in the basketball realm has heard that Derrick Rose has been cleared to return to action by his doctors. If you’ve heard that news you’ve also heard that he isn’t returning immediately. People ask why as if it’s some big mystery, which doesn’t surprise me but they only need to look at the player himself and his past remarks to understand why he isn’t running back to the floor.

First of all, Rose has made it clear that he will return when he is 110 percent. What this means is simple; take Rose as he was before he went down with his injury and then make him better in every aspect you can think of: muscle, speed, athleticism, agility you name it he wants to improve it. Yes the Chicago Bulls are slumping but what would we rather see, Rose return uncomfortably or watch him wait until he is in absolute peak condition so that when he does return he can dominate the court? I know, I know I want Rose back as much as the next fan but nobody knows how comfortable he is except him.

With that said it’s unfair for us to assume he is being cowardly by not returning. The turmoil is thick throughout the NBA nation so imagine what it’s like for the team. They hear that their best player has been cleared to play and yet they don’t see him suit up or games? Is that fair? The answer is of course it is! The Bulls are harming themselves by revolving around every speculatory piece regarding Rose that hits the newsstands and it ultimately will lead to more losses in the regular season. It is easy to understand how this could poison a team, if the entirety of the team is hyper focused on Rose and how he may save the season then they loose focus on the actual season!

The Bulls are slipping in the standings and barely escaped their last game against the Utah Jazz, their team is banged up and their lineups rotations are slim. It’s understandable why they would focus in on Rose returning because honestly the above qualities are usually used to define a team with no playoff hopes whatsoever not a team occupying the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Bulls need to reevaluate themselves and focus on what’s important which is making the team perform as best as possible regardless of whether Rose returns this week, this month or even this season. His return obviously will affect every single player on the team, but they cannot become so wrapped up in his recovery that they become distracted from what matters: winning. Everybody wants Rose back in uniform (myself included), but his return is up to him and nobody else. It would be wise for the Bulls to focus as much on their game-play as they do on Rose’s return because if they can do that then they will be able to advance up the ranks as the playoffs approach.