Derrick Rose’s brief retreat to Chicago on Monday when his Knicks were playing against the New Orleans Pelicans was a troubling bit of news. He cited some form of emotional distress, and stated that he needed to be with his family, specifically his mother. While he will be back starting for the Knicks in Philadelphia on Wednesday, his saga is not over.
Jeff Hornacek confirms that Derrick Rose is starting tonight vs Sixers.
— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) January 11, 2017
Rose grew up in Chicago, and for the entire time he was around the Bulls, he was able to stay close to the family and community that raised him. Now he’s about halfway through his first season away, and he felt so upset that he had to skip a game with no warning and refused to take calls from his team.
He reportedly even considered taking an extended leave of absence. The fact that he’s immediately back with the team should cause nearly as much concern as his absence.
If Rose was so distraught that he had to leave the Knicks on a gameday and intentionally drop out of contact because he “needed [his] space,” how could he be possibly expected to be mentally right not two days after such a public breakdown of his relationship with his team? And going forward, how can his team view his continued commitment as a given? If the Knicks can’t do so, they simply can’t rely on him and need to plan for a future without him.
(Via New York Post)
