The injury bug has once again stung Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, who sustained a left orbital fracture after taking an inadvertent elbow to the face during practice. Rose underwent surgery today, and he is expected to miss approximately two weeks of action. While the team and Rose dodged a bullet with the point guard not expected to miss any regular season contests, this is just the latest bit of misfortune for the point guard, who has only appeared in a total of 100 games over the last four NBA seasons courtesy of various maladies.
Rose probably didn’t help his cause with the Chicago media and fans of the team when he indicated during the team’s media day sessions that he was looking forward to hitting free agency. The point guard, who is signed through the 2016/17 campaign, did note that he expects to remain in Chicago for the long term, but Rose added that the allure of an increased salary cap and plenty of teams willing to spend would certainly give him reason to test the market.
This brings me to the question/topic of the day: Would the Bulls be better served if Derrick Rose departs after the 2016/17 season as a free agent?
The 26-year-old was well on his way to becoming one of the best players in the NBA before injuries began to take their toll on his body and production. A healthy Rose would no doubt be worth the maximum salary, whatever that may be by the time 2016/17 rolls around, but pegging his current (or future) value is certainly a difficult task, and it’s one that will make or break some GM’s career when the time comes. The Bulls are hamstrung by Rose’s current salary of $20,093,064, as well as the perpetual worry about if and when he will next succumb to injury. While his current injury can be chalked up to bad luck, Rose’s knees will always be a source of concern, and as he ages his durability isn’t likely to improve.
If you were the GM of the Bulls, would you want to re-sign Rose? If so, what would be the largest contract you would feel comfortable handing over to him? Or would you decide to cut your losses and allow Rose to depart via free agency? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.