Tag: Derrick Rose

Former Bulls MVP Derrick Rose almost retired at end of last season

Former Chicago Bulls MVP Derrick Rose nearly retired this past offseason.

Over the years, the Chicago Bulls have had some legendary players suit up in the red and black. Obviously, there are the Michael Jordans and Scottie Pippens of the world, but since the turn of the century, no Bull has been more of a fan-favorite in Chicago than Derrick Rose.

Chicago selected Rose, who grew up in the city, with the first pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. In his very first season with the Bulls, Rose helped lead the Bulls to a playoff spot, and by his third year with the squad, he became the youngest player to ever win the MVP award.

The love Chicago has for Rose exists to this day, even though the Bulls decided to trade him to the New York Knicks in 2016. And while Rose is still in the league, playing with the Memphis Grizzlies, he almost retired at the end of last season.

“Around that time I was still trying to figure out if I still wanted to play,” Rose told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “Just trying to figure out my route, if I wanted to stay or leave.”

Rose has dealt with some injuries this season, and the Grizzlies have spiraled toward the bottom of the West due to missing so many players for extended periods of time.

However, the former Bull has appeared in 18 games for Memphis this season. In those contests, he’s averaged 8.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while shooting 44.7% from the floor and 35.1% from behind the three-point line.

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The remaining active NBA players from each draft class between 2003 and 2010

It is truly remarkable that LeBron is still playing as well as he does.

With each passing season, more and more players in the previous generation of the NBA are graduating into retirement.

Some of the most recognizable and dominant players of a beloved era (e.g. Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, etc.) have recently ended their professional playing careers.

As the league begins to look increasingly different every year, we decided to look at which players drafted before 2011 are still active in the league. There are only 30 players who fit those qualifications and only 19 have started more than one game this season.

Here is a look at each NBA draft class and who remains active years later.

All data is provided via Stathead and is accurate as of publishing.

Carlos Boozer reflects on time with Derrick Rose-led Bulls: ‘We were like rockstars’

During a recent interview, Carlos Boozer reflected on his time with the Derrick Rose-led Chicago Bulls.

Michael Jordan was the ultimate celebrity when he was in the NBA. His presence alone made the Chicago Bulls a worldwide brand – a fact that now remains to this day. But since his departure from the league, the Bulls have produced plenty more star-level players.

The most notable of the bunch was Derrick Rose, whose connection to the city of Chicago made him a fan favorite. In turn, the Rose-led Bulls were one of the more popular teams in recent memory. With Luol Deng, Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, and others by his side, Rose brought the Bulls back onto the main stage.

During a recent interview with Betway, Boozer reflected on his time in Chicago with that group.

Carlos Boozer calls Derrick Rose ‘most athletic point guard’ in NBA history

Former Chicago Bulls big man Carlos Boozer called Derrick Rose the “most athletic point guard” in NBA history.

Throughout the years, the Chicago Bulls have fielded plenty of competitive teams. Obviously, the Michael Jordan-led Bulls were the cream of the crop, but since then, they’ve managed to put together some solid rosters. Derrick Rose helped the Bulls reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since Jordan in 2011, but he needed some help.

Chicago was led by Rose, but guys like Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Carlos Boozer were crucial in the team’s success. Boozer joined the team via a trade with the Utah Jazz prior to the start of the 2010-11 season. He went from playing with one All-Star guard in Deron Williams to another in Rose.

In an interview with Betway, Boozer discussed the differences between the two, throwing some high praise Rose’s way.

Former Bulls MVP Derrick Rose signs 2-year deal with Grizzlies

Former Chicago Bulls MVP Derrick Rose has signed a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies.

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Over the years, the Chicago Bulls have been home to a ton of great players. Obviously, Michael Jordan is the first player most think of when they see a Bulls logo, but one of the most popular Bulls of all time was point guard Derrick Rose, who Chicago picked first overall in 2008.

Rose, who is from Chicago, instantly became one of the biggest fan-favorites in team history, as he became the youngest NBA player to ever win MVP in 2011. However, since his years with the Bulls, Rose has gone on to play with a multitude of different franchises. And now, he’s joined another.

According to Ian Begley of SNY, Rose has agreed to a deal to join the Memphis Grizzlies.

“Free agent Derrick Rose intends to sign a multi-year agreement with the Memphis Grizzlies, per SNY sources,” Begley tweeted.

Begley’s reporting was followed up by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who had more specifics about the deal.

“Free agent Derrick Rose has agreed on a two-year deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, source tells ESPN. Grizzlies want Rose on the floor this season and as a leader in locker room. @IanBegley first reported,” Wojnarowski tweeted.

Memphis has made multiple moves this summer in an attempt to add veterans to their roster of young stars. First, it was a trade for long-time Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart, and now, it’s the addition of Rose.

Rose is set to play an important role on the Grizzlies next season as they look to push for a championship.

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Bulls-Derrick Rose reunion wouldn’t solve point guard problems

While the story would be fun, a Derrick Rose return to the Chicago Bulls wouldn’t solve their point guard problems.

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The Chicago Bulls have a few key problems to address in free agency this summer if they hope to push for the postseason next year. Arturas Karnisovas has no desire to rebuild the roster, even though that could be the better idea for the future of the franchise.

Of all its problems, 3-point shooting and forward depth remain two of the biggest, but the clearest need by far is point guard help. Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu can hold it down, but neither has proven consistent enough to be a starter in the NBA on a night-to-night basis for a playoff-caliber team.

Despite rumors of a potential Derrick Rose return to Chicago, Erik Beaston of Bleacher Report doesn’t believe he would solve the Bulls’ problems.

“Per (Steve) Popper (of Newsday), Rose is beloved in the Knicks locker room for the leadership he brings to the team. That would be welcome in Chicago, and the fans would love to see their hometown hero back at the United Center.

“However, that does not solve the larger problem: A hole in the roster that could be filled by saving the money that would be spent on Rose and throwing it at a free agent like Fred VanVleet or D’Angelo Russell, from whom the Bulls would get more minutes and points.

“The crowd would welcome D-Rose back with open arms, and one of the NBA’s most admired players would have the opportunity to wrap up his career in Chicago.

“But the Bulls would be in the same position they were before signing him,” wrote Beaston.

A Rose return in Chicago would be extremely fun, but in terms of improving the Bulls’ playoff chances, it may not make a huge difference.

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Bulls listed as potential top landing spot for Derrick Rose

The Chicago Bulls could be a potential landing spot for Derrick Rose this summer.

The Chicago Bulls need to stay active this offseason if they don’t want to rebuild, and based on Arturas Karnisovas’ comments at the end of this past year, that’s not in their plan this summer. The core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic is solid, but they need help.

If the Bulls want to be a serious contender for a playoff spot next season, putting the right pieces around that core will be crucial. They need 3-point shooting and help at the forward position. Most of all, they need point guard depth, given Lonzo Ball isn’t likely to play.

According to Adam Wells of Bleacher Report, the Bulls should be one of the top landing spots for New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose this summer.

“A reunion with the Bulls would make a lot of sense for both sides,” Wells wrote. “Rose could be looking to find an opportunity that will allow him to play.

“The Bulls need depth at point guard with Ball likely unavailable, Patrick Beverley set to become an unrestricted free agent, and White and Ayo Dosunmu eligible for restricted free agency.”

Rose is past the prime of his career, but at the very least, he would be a nice veteran to have on the roster for Chicago. He would be able to mentor Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu as they attempt to carry the torch at the point guard position for the Bulls.

Plus, the hype of a Rose return to Chicago would be the talk of the summer.

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Max Strus grew up on Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose-led Chicago Bulls

Miami Heat guard Max Strus recently revealed that he grew up watching the Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler-led Chicago Bulls.

Through the years, the Chicago Bulls have fielded plenty of competitive teams. They haven’t won a championship since Michael Jordan skipped town, but one iteration of the team did make it back to the Eastern Conference finals: the Derrick Rose-led Bulls. In the 2010-11 season, Rose and his Bulls made it to the conference finals before losing to the Miami Heat.

Not long after, Jimmy Butler joined the party, and while they were making their playoff runs, a whole generation of hoopers were watching. And that includes some players who went on to play for the Bulls. One of those guys was Max Strus.

During an appearance on NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Night in Chicago, Strus spoke about how he grew up watching Rose and Butler while living in Hickory Hills, Illinois.

“When I was a kid growing up in Chicago, him and Derrick Rose were my favorite players to watch,” Strus said. “To be able to be on his team and share this journey of his career has been nothing short of astonishing. Just so happy to be here and so happy to help him.”

Strus spent time on the Bulls during the 2019-20 season on a two-way deal before suffering from a torn ACL. He moved on from Chicago after recovering and was scooped up by the Heat. Now, he’s thriving.

The 27-year-old wing is one of the crucial pieces on a Miami team that’s in the NBA Finals. He grew up watching the Bulls, played for the Bulls, and now he’s teammates with Butler.

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Former Bulls Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah go to watch Victor Wembanyama

Former Chicago Bulls stars Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah traveled to France to watch Victor Wembanyama play.

Ever since the Michael Jordan years, the Chicago Bulls have been up and down. For the majority of the last 30 years, they’ve sat in the middle of the pack. But for a brief period of time in the early 2010s, Chicago had hope. And that hope came in the form of Derrick Rose.

The hometown kid was drafted first-overall to the Bulls in 2008, and just one year prior, Chicago picked up Joakim Noah, who would become one of Rose’s right-hand men. The two have been friends since, and recently, they traveled all the way to France to watch soon-to-be number-one pick Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama spent this past season playing for Metropolitans 92 in France, and he just recently helped them advance to the playoffs. The team snapped a photo of Rose and Noah sitting by the court to watch him play, which was relayed to Twitter by Daniel Greenberg.

Chicago had a tiny chance to jump up to the first pick and select Wembanyama, but instead, their first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft remained at 11th and was conveyed to the Orlando Magic.

Instead, the San Antonio Spurs won the lottery and will have the right to select Wembanyama. He’ll join a long line of dominant big men selected first overall by the Spurs. It’s a group highlighted by David Robinson and Tim Duncan.

San Antonio also has experience developing French players, as Tony Parker became a dominant force with the Spurs, carving out a Hall-of-Fame career that includes an NBA Finals MVP.

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Derrick Rose return to Chicago Bulls makes ‘a ton of sense’

As the Chicago Bulls look to reshape their roster this summer, could a Derrick Rose return be in the cards?

At the end of the season, Arturas Karnisovas made it clear that he has no interest in rebuilding the Chicago Bulls again. Resetting the roster isn’t on his mind. And while the current core of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic doesn’t scream “championship contender,” the Bulls seem determined to make it work.

If that’s the plan, Chicago has a lot of reshaping to do. They lost in the Play-In Tournament this past year, and there are some serious holes on their roster. Improving their forward and center positions will be crucial, but they also need some help at point guard, especially with Lonzo Ball sidelined. When discussing the New York Knicks’ offseason, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype brought up a familiar name as a potential Chicago target in free agency.

Derrick Rose has a $15.6 million team option this summer, which Scotto predicts the Knicks to decline. If that’s the case, the Bulls could make a solid landing spot for the veteran point guard.

“When I was in Chicago for the NBA Draft Combine, some executives were wondering how much gas he still has in the tank?” Scotto said of Rose. “He’s got a huge number looking ahead towards next season, a team option for $15.6 million. That’s a lot of money for a guy who was seldomly used. You’d imagine the Knicks would decline that option. In my opinion, I think the Chicago Bulls make a ton of sense for Derrick Rose in free agency. It would be a nice homecoming for him towards the end of his career. We saw when he was back in town how beloved he is still by that fan base.”

The Bulls need some point guard depth, and they could definitely use a veteran to mentor Ayo Dosunmu and Coby white. Could a Rose return be in the cards?

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