The Derrick Rose era in Chicago came to an unglamorous end on Tuesday when he was sent to the Knicks in a five-player deal. There’d been rumors about the Bulls potentially moving Rose since before the end of the season, and it was a trade that also included Justin Holiday in exchange for Robin Lopez, Jose Calderon, and Jerian Grant.
In addition to his ongoing knee issues, there were chemistry issues with running mate Jimmy Butler that some believed extended beyond the court. Both of them have always insisted that there wasn’t any truth to that, and now Butler has posted a genuine, heartfelt goodbye to his former teammate on his Instagram account.
With the move, the Bulls have officially handed over the reigns to Butler, and it’s looking like their offseason is just getting started. They’ll likely lose Pau Gasol to free agency, and they’ll have to make a decision on Joakim Noah as well. Fred Hoiberg is going to have his hands full if he plans on a taking a partially revamped squad back to the playoffs next season.
