I don't understand this whole back and forth. He is cleared for games from the doctors. So he can play. http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bulls/print?id=12784 I don't questioning his mental toughness, because I really don't know what is holding from playing again. Is it worth to bring him back to this team? Yes. He can't sit until the Bulls have a much better team around him. How long will he then sitting? For another two season? That isn't a reason. I think that the risk of re-injuring is equal whether he will play the next game or the next season. There is always a probability of re-injuring. He must take this risk or he don't play one more game in his career. There will be up and downs and perhaps some problems with the conditioning. But this is normal and also will be appearing if Rose plays his next game in the 2013/14 season. Meanwhile, I have the fear that he does not play anymore this season. I think he comes back in the next two games or not at all this season. But I hope that he will play this season.
Rubio was terrible for quite a few games after he came back. That suggests the time frame was too soon. Some might chalk it up to rust, but as I see it, there's going to be rust sooner and later, whichever he decides to return. If he comes back next season, it'd be a smoother transition, I'd think. He simply shows up for summer camp, plays in the exhibition games like the rest of the team. If he needs more minutes to gain his comfort level, he can get more. Then he'd start the new season like everyone else.
I've assumed all along that Rose will return this season. I'm holding to this until, well, I stop holding to it.
Pardon my ignorance on this matter, but I have to ask--is Rose still being paid right now? I mean, I know that you get paid while you're injured, and I know that insurance picks up most of the cost after 41 consecutive games missed due to injury, but with Rose having been medically cleared, the insurance company isn't paying anymore, right? And now that his inactivity is no longer medically necessary, but voluntary, is Rose still collecting a paycheck as though he's still injured? If so, would the Bulls risk alienating their star by saying "I'm sorry that you don't feel right, but you don't get to sit on the bench and collect millions of dollars when you're healthy enough to play?" I mean, if Joakim Noah decided that he just didn't feel like showing up for the game on some night, he wouldn't get paid for it, right?
The contract is guaranteed, as long as the player is fulfilling his responsibility to play when he has the ability to do so. If the coach decides not to play him, then it is the team's choice. If the player decides not to play, then it is the player's choice. Seems to me that it's a pretty significant difference.
I still think Derrick will return this year, but I was listening to ESPN Radio Mike & Mike and they had Marc Silverman on and he believes that Derricks internal camp is the reason for him continuing to sit out. He believes BJ Armstrong (agent) and Reggie Rose (manager/advisor) are the people that he's listening to regarding his return. I kinda agree. I dont question Derrick (had a coworker yesterday call him a bitch and quitter cuz hes not playing yet) because I know he's a player that wants to play. He loves basketball. I question his camp trying to get him to wait (which I wouldnt be mad at) for fear of re-injury when it can happen any time.
Of course it is--I never said otherwise. I was disputing the notion that the team is contractually obligated to pay him while he's choosing to sit out. I guess the main thing I wonder is if there's a limit to how long a franchise continues to pay a franchise player who refuses to play when physically able to do so. If you're Jerry Reinsdorf, do you just say "Rose is more important than the rest of the players combined, so he can do whatever he wants to"?
I don't think that he can do whatever he wants to. There will be reason to still sit out. Hopefully the reasons are not the advices of Armstrong and Reggie Rose.
The insurance thing is an interesting angle...I hadn't thought of it. Obviously, if an insurer is involved, it depends on the language of the policy, but I don't believe that any insurer would accept open-ended liability dependent solely on the patient's assessment. While Bulls' management has made it clear that they'd like Rose to follow the doctors' recommendation that he complete his rehab by playing in games, I've got to give them credit for playing this with an extraordinarily light touch. They are treating Rose as they should IMO, that is, they're treating him like an extremely important part of the organization's future. I applaud them.
