Derrick Rose, the greatest What if? in NBA history and Chicago Bulls Star announces Retirement

 Derrick Rose, just shy of 36 announced he has retired from the NBA.  Rose, a child born and raised in Englewood, a star High School player at Simeon, was going to lead the Chicago Bulls past the LeBron James Cavaliers (or Heat), bring them back into the NBA Finals, and revive the glory of the 1990's Bulls.  But, it never materialized.

Sixteen years after igniting a frenzy of fandom when the Bulls selected him with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, Chicago native Derrick Rose is retiring from basketball.

Rose leaves a legacy of hope and heartbreak. Two state championships with Simeon. An MVP trophy, Rookie of the Year award and three All-Star selections with the Bulls. Four knee surgeries and a missed season due to ankle injuries. And an endless list of lingering questions — set to the tune of “What if?”

Much has been made of Derrick Rose's explosive style of basketball leading to his numerous injuries and inability to play a full season.  I've always thought his poor nutrition growing up in Chicago made his body unable to deal with the rigors of the game and left his tendons, ligaments, and bones unable to accept the explosive power of his muscles.

Rose played a full season three times in his NBA career, his first 3 seasons with the Bulls.  Since 2016 he didn't appear in more than 50 games.  But, those first 3 years, caused the entire city to believe, the Bulls were on the cusp of Championship relevance and Rose himself was going to have a Stratospheric career but, besides the injuries, his off-the-court gang rape allegations also laid low his star power.  Nonetheless, he lasted in the league for 15 years which is impressive.

Are you gonna pay Derrick Rose's Rent?

Everyone's your brother until the rent comes due. - Ronin 1998

The Chicago Bulls season ended last week with a trouncing by the LeFlop James led Miami Heat. Derrick Rose the erstwhile Bulls Superstar did not play a single minute during the Regular Season or Playoffs while rehabbing his knee. Rose suffered a torn ACL during the 2012 playoffs .

Now, the injury rehabilation became a sticking point for Rose, his family, the Bulls Organization and Fans. According to the post-operation schedule, the Doctor who performed the ACL reconstruction suggested Rose would be ready to play by early April and that a month of games in the regular season would be the final step in the healing process.

Starting in late March, Derrick Rose through his brother Reggie and his own Twitter account let it be known that he was listening to his family and while he might come back it was only when he could "dunk of his left foot" and his knee 'felt comfortable'.

This caused much confusion and consternation in Chicago Sports scene. As the regular season dragged on and various other players gutted through injuries or missed games themselves. Luol Deng missed the entire playoff series with the Heat because of a vicious flu strain which Doctors were worried was Viral Meningitis.

As the Bulls struggled the confusion morphed into mild displeasure and then grumbling anger towards Rose. Chicago "Fans" questioned his toughness, mental and physical. They accused him of malingering.

I don't know what the collective bargaining agreement betweeen Players and Owners in the NBA stipulates. I do know that the Bulls through insurance recovered 40% of Rose's salary for the Season, roughly $6.5 million of $16.4 million, with whomever, his contract is indemnified.

The story of Hunter Hillenmeyer of the Chicago Bears is illustrative:

On August 28 2010, Hillenmeyer suffered a concussion during a pre-season game. He was placed on injured reserve before the season and has never played again. The Bears terminated his contract Feb. 28, 2011, one month after the team's concussion consultant, Dr. Elizabeth Pieroth, a board certified clinical neuropsychologist, examined him and recommended he no longer play. The Bears cut him with one year and $1.8 million remaining on his contract. According to the union, Article 45 of the collective bargaining agreement stipulates Hillenmeyer is eligible for an injury protection benefit of 50 percent of his base salary up to $1 million.

The Chicago Bears have not paid the 50% of Hillenmeyer's final contract. In the modern world of Sports you're earning a million dollars one day and out of work the next. Careers, most often, end in men's early 30's. Derrick Rose doesn't owe Bulls Fans anything. When his career is over no one in Chicago is going to help him out.

But, this is where the narrative gets most muddled. Through his actions it appears Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf is one of the few sports franchise owners who goes out of his way to help up and look out for his former employees.

Several Bulls players hit upon hard times after their playing careers have ended.

Randy Brown, a fringe player, who averaged 5ppg over his career of 655 games was part of the Bulls Second 3-Peat. Brown had to file for Bankruptcy and auction off his 3 rings. Reinsdorf simply created a "special assistant" job for Brown and hired him in 2009.

Scottie Pippen who made several bad contracts and was outspokenly truculent with the Bulls about his perceived contractual slights also reportedly fell into bankruptcy after his career ended. In 2010, Pippen rejoined the Bulls as an "ambassador".  

“Jerry has been very warm towards me over the years and has never turned me down for anything,” said Pippen.

In 2003, another Bulls Point Guard, Jay Williams injured himself. This time it wasn't on the court but a motorcycle accident during the off-season, which almost resulted in Williams losing his leg and requiring Williams to undoe multiple surgeries, extended hospital time and an arduous long recovery. 

Even though the accident could have been prima facie evidence of a contract violation because the Bulls had written into Williams contract that he was not to ride motorcycles, the Bulls organization helped pay his medical bills and a portion of the second season salary. Williams never played an NBA game again.

Jerry Reinsdorf has a clear track record of being loyal and compassionate towards his former athlete  employees which goes beyond what is normally seen in the cut-throat world of Sports Capitalism.

So, I think Rose has reached an incorrect conclusion about his post playing career but I don't fault him for reaching it.

The March of the Bulls

I managed to get to a Chicago Bulls game this year. I hadn't been to one since early 2002 during the early Post Jordan bleech era.

The United Center is fantastic, my beautiful partner and I walked around the venue, played a Presidential knowledge game, saw former player and current announcer Bill Wennington (he's very tall) and a magician. The layout is excellent and the food choices are vastly superior to what I assumed they would be (I had sat in a corporate box and did not tour the facilities in '02).

Anyway the Bulls played last season's Eastern Conference Champion Magic. Prior to the game, the Bulls honored Derrick Rose for his selection to the 2012 Olympic Team and addition to the NBA All-Star Team. Unfortunately, early on in the game Rose drove the lane and was met mid-air by Dwight Howard. I got a chance to see Dwight Howard during the Magic shoot around prior to the game. Rose is 6'3 and 190 lbs and Howard is 6'11 and 275 lbs of fright inducing muscle. Yikes. We both half-jokingly speculated Howard and the well stretched Magic players were upset with Rose's pre-game ceremony. Rose left the game with a hip pointer and with Joakim Noah out Howard and the Magic quickly jumped out to a 20-6 lead and won the game easily 87-107.

I don't know if Howard is Superman or not but while his final stat line looked good with 18 points and 14 rebounds, Howard utterly dominated the game after he sent Rose sprawling. Howard did whatever he wanted to on the floor from monster alley-oop dunks and effortless rebounds to taking whatever position he wanted on the court. For the Bulls, John Salmons tried to fill in but had a terrible game and paved the way for his eventual trade.

However, the Bulls have been playing good basketball since that loss and after the return of Rose and Hinrich from early season injuries and will probably finish as the 5th/6th seed barring some late season collapse. Last year the Bulls outplayed the Celtics in the first round of the Playoffs but lost the series 3 to 4 due to dirty play from the Big Baby Celtics team.

Besides the aforementioned trade of Salmons the Bulls unloaded the uber-talented but undermotivated Tyrus Thomas and acquired the interesting Hakim Warrick and role-player Flip Murray but more importantly they freed up cap space for the chase of the Mystical 2010 Free Agents but until then the Bulls look poised for a first round show and possible victory.