Derrick Rose: What Could’ve Been?
No, that’s not the name of his biography but it is quite fitting, given the current state of affairs which surround the Cleveland Cavaliers point guard and former MVP.
It has been a strange ride for Derrick Rose, ever since he won the MVP trophy in the 2010-11 NBA season. Injury after injury made it seem like that this wasn’t the same player who led the Chicago Bulls to 60+ wins that season almost single-handedly.
A stint at New York Knicks with the likes of Carmelo Anthony could’ve been beneficial but even that didn’t work, restricting Rose to the sidelines for the better half of the season more than once in his career for Chicago and New York, including missing the entire 2012-13 season.
After his trade to Cleveland from New York in 2017, things were looking up.
Rose had begun to settle and looked more determined, showed more purpose and was willing to play in the second unit on Isaiah Thomas’ return, with a locked-in approach of just winning a championship. The Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas trade seemed to be a good deal for the Cavs who were looking to rebuild their squad to compete for the NBA title again and Derrick Rose seemed to be the perfect “redemption man”.
Alas, it was a dream which was short-lived.
Another injury saw him play just 7 games in the 2017-18 season and led to another stay on the sidelines, as the Cavaliers went on a marauding 7 game winning streak in his absence where the former point guard was averaging 14.3 points per game, with signs of further improvement.
The latest injury took a toll on him and now, Derrick Rose is re-evaluating his future playing for the Cavaliers and as a basketball player.
Some sources claim he has taken a leave of absence to tend to some family related issues but others have given different reasons, with the star point guard’s future hanging in the balance.
Why A Sudden Leave Of Absence:
A consistent battle with injuries in one’s prime years is reason enough for stress and takes a toll on the mind, which looks to be the case here and it’s getting the best out of Rose.
He’s a hard-worker and if he could read this, I’d simply tell him to not give up and continue to push to get back to his best.
His teammate and Cleveland main man LeBron James has publicly expressed that he wants the best for Derrick regardless of his decision, where he further added:
But at the end of the day, a clearer head, there’s no substitute for that. We want the best for Derrick. … No matter if he comes back, no matter if he doesn’t, we want him as an individual, as a man, as a father to be just happy with whatever decision he makes.
The words definitely are motivating and consoling and Cavs shot guard Dwyane Wade has further voiced his concern for empathy for Derrick Rose.
A triumphant return from injury would be picture perfect for Rose but it will be a tough road ahead of him.
What It Means For Cavaliers:
Honestly, as harsh as it may sound, the Cavaliers don’t have a reason to panic in Rose’s absence, FOR NOW.
They are regaining their Eastern Conference domination and are currently on a 7-game winning streak, with much more cohesiveness in the squad as Dwyane Wade looks to take charge of the second unit when Isaiah Thomas returns as starting point guard.
Derrick Rose has had 3 knee surgeries and add that to a list of back problems, ankle problems, hamstring tendinitis, orbital fracture, etc., it’s clear why he signed only a 1 year deal for $2.1 million.
Cavs, on the other hand, look sharp, with shooters Kyle Korver and J. R. Smith now firing well, Jeff Green and Dwyane Wade regaining their sharpness and Jae Crowder showing flashes of brilliance and regaining his form as the starting power forward.
LeBron James is already widely recognized as the greatest player of this century as even though he’s in his 15th season, he’s averaging a 5th time MVP worthy 28.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game.
As of now, the team looks set to have a good season with or without Derrick Rose.
Should he make a return, the story then changes to “How many games will he last?”, with his starting and reserve spot already booked by Thomas and Wade.
But hey, as fans of Rose and as a part of the basketball community, we wish him a speedy recovery and hope he’s back shooting hoops in no time.
Tough road ahead but definitely not impossible.
All eyes on one man.
Image Credits: Google Images
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