Time for Bulls to plan for life after Derrick Rose

Derrick Rose’s latest setback, another medial meniscus tear in his right knee, is devastating for the Chicago Bulls franchise. Unfortunately, this is still a business, and it’s time for the Bulls to start planning for the future – one where they aren’t dependent on Rose.

I just can’t believe it’s happened again.

After news broke on Twitter and on ESPN that Derrick Rose had torn the medial meniscus in his right knee again, it was a huge punch to the gut. More so than with his ACL tear three years ago. More so than with his first meniscus tear last season.

When did it happen? How did it happen? Did I miss something in the Bucks game? I sure didn’t see anything that would have indicated something was wrong. I thought it might have been a hack or old news was resurfacing for some unknown reason. Unfortunately, no.

As big a nightmare as this is for Bulls fans, it has to be an even bigger one for Rose, his teammates, and the Bulls’ front office. Rose, after all of his effort rehabbing to try and get back to the player he once was, he has to start over. His teammates, who surely believed that Rose would take his game to the next level once the playoffs began, need to carry the weight themselves yet again. The Bulls’ brass, for seeing their mega-investment go under the knife for the third time since signing his maximum contract, need to plan for the future.

In the short run, Rose will have surgery and have a timetable set after the procedure. The Bulls are in better shape for the playoffs without Rose than they were last year, but they are no longer a serious threat in the Eastern Conference. Their season is effectively over. But it’s not about this season anymore.

It’s about the future, and it’s starting to look bleak. With a roster that’s built to win now, the Bulls’ championship hopes were still no doubt dependent on Rose’s knees. And they buckled. Now, the Bulls are likely staring at a rebuild.

How can the Bulls realistically expect Rose to ever be the same again? With now two procedures on his right knee and one major procedure on his left knee, Rose can’t ever be the player he once was. The structure of his knees won’t allow it. Fans can’t expect it. Neither can the front office, nor Derrick himself.

I liken it to Chicago Bears’ legend Gale Sayers. A sublime talent when healthy, he took the league by storm his first few seasons, before a devastating knee injury took away his God-given gifts. He was never the same again, and his career was cruelly cut short.

That’s how it’s starting to feel like with Rose. He was an unbelievable player his first few seasons with the Bulls. Winning Rookie of the Year, All-Star nominations, and the MVP award, Rose did it all. Now? He can’t finish a season healthy.

Couple that with the rift between the front office and Tom Thibodeau, Pau Gasol’s age, Joakim Noah’s expiring contract and balky health, and Jimmy Butler’s impending free agency, and the Bulls’ supposed franchise cornerstones aren’t so much cornerstones anymore.

But it has always been about Rose. No matter who is around him, the Bulls aren’t able to bank on Derrick being the same player or even available during the crucial times of the season anymore. If you can’t count on your best player, is he really still your best player?

Gar Forman and John Paxson have a lot of thinking to do – about the head coach, about impending free agents, and about the draft. But the question of Derrick Rose’s health can’t be pondered anymore. It’s time for the Bulls to come up with a real contingency plan. One that doesn’t involve Rose. One that, and I hate to say it this way, they can count on.

Next: What Are Bears Thinking With Jay Cutler?

Feb 20, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) during the fourth quarter against the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports